PLAN WILL COME TO ORDER. IT IS A
SHARP 2:01. I AM CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH. WILL YOU PLEASE
CALL THE ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.
>> AND CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> HERE..
>> WE WILL NOW CONSIDER THE
AGENDA. IF THERE ARE NO
OBJECTIONS, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NONE, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED. SO BEFORE WE
JUMP INTO PUBLIC COMMENT, FIRST
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING
DOWN TODAY ON A SUNNY, A LITTLE
BIT WINDY, I ALWAYS LOOK AT THE
FLAGS TO SEE IF IT IS WINDY, A
SUNNY WINDY AFTERNOON IN THE
GREAT CITY OF SEATTLE. WE ARE
GOING TO DO A LITTLE TABLE
SETTING, SO ESTABLISHED AT THE
LAST MEETING, WE CONTINUE TO
MOVE FORWARD TO PASS THE INTERIM
LEGISLATION OF HOUSE BILL 1110,
SO WE CAN STILL MEET THE
DEADLINE FOR THE STATE'S
IMPLEMENTATION, WHICH IS JUNE
THE 30th. AS A REMINDER, HOUSE
BILL 1110 IS A STATE-MANDATED
LEGISLATION TO CREATE MISSING
HOUSING. AS SOON AS WE PASSED
THE INTERIM LEGISLATION, HOUSE
BILL 1110, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE
NEXT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN, AND THE PERMANENT HOUSE
BILL 1110 LEGISLATION, WHICH IS
PHASE 1. WE HOPE TO PASS THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN PHASE 1
LEGISLATION THROUGH THE SELECT
COMMITTEE. AND WE HAVE A
TIMELINE FOR THAT, WHICH IS
BEFORE COUNCIL TAKES UP BUDGET
THIS FALL. LET THE RECORD
REFLECT AS WELL THAT WE ARE
JOINED BY COUNCILMEMBER SAKA .
WELCOME. WE ARE PLEASED TO
ANNOUNCE THAT THE NEXT DATE FOR
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS MONDAY MAY
19th , AND THAT IS GOING TO
BEGIN AT 9:30. WE WILL RELEASE
MORE INFORMATION. SOME PEOPLE,
PLEASE NOTE THAT 9:30 IS FOR THE
VIRTUAL COMMENT PERIOD, AND THEN
WE ARE DOING AND IN PERSON,
WHICH WILL BE IN THE AFTERNOON
SO THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE
IN ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE
FROM PEOPLE. SO WE ARE DOING IT
AT 9:30 AND THEN THE FOLLOWING
ONE WILL BE AT 4:00 P.M. THE
SAME DAY FOR IN PERSON AS WELL.
NOT THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE SAME
DAY. I'M SORRY. WE WILL RELEASE
MORE INFORMATION, BUT IT IS
GOING TO BE 9:30 ON MAY 19th,
MONDAY IN THE MORNING FOR
ONLINE, AND THEN 4:00 FOR IN
PERSON AS WELL. THIS TOPIC, FOR
THE PUBLIC COMMENT, FOR PUBLIC
HEARING, FOR THE AMENDMENTS TO
THE INTERIM HOUSE BILL 1110
LEGISLATION, SO THIS PUBLIC
HEARING IS FOR THE INTERIM
LEGISLATION FOR HOUSE BILL 1110.
AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE
HAD ENDED EARLY ON FEBRUARY
FIFTH DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER, OUR
OFFICE MADE PROMISES TO HONOR
THE SPEAKING ORDER OF THOSE WHO
WERE NOT ABLE TO SPEAK AT THE
END OF THAT MEETING. THERE WILL
BE EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS FOR
THESE INDIVIDUALS IN THE
OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARING
ANNOUNCEMENT ONCE IT IS
RELEASED, WHICH WE WILL RELEASE
PRETTY SOON HERE OPLE ,
ARE WE STILL GOING TO HONOR
THAT? AND WE HAVE IT ON THE
RECORD HERE AND HOPEFULLY THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE GREAT HOT HANDS
CAN TWEET IT OUT, BLUE SKY, ALL
THOSE THINGS AND LET PEOPLE KNOW
THAT WE WILL HONOR THAT AS WELL.
SO REORIENTING US ON THE TOPIC,
THE EXECUTIVE HAS BROUGHT
FORWARD A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
PRESENTATION ON THE SEATTLE
URBAN FORESTRY PLAN WITH
STRATEGIES FROM ACROSS THE
CITY'S DEPARTMENTS. THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO
PRESENT ON EXISTING URBAN FOREST
STRATEGY AS WELL AS COVER THE
PROPOSAL FOR CHANGES IN ZONING.
OUR OFFICE, I'M SURE MANY
OTHERS, HAVE RECEIVED EMAILS
WITH CONCERNS THAT ARE COVERED
TODAY. ABOUT TREES, BECAUSE WE
ALL LOVE TREES. I WOULD LIKE TO
EMPHASIZE THAT THE TREE
PROTECTION ECA AND STREET TREE
REQUIREMENTS WOULD NOT CHANGE IN
THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL. WE ARE
CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON INTERIM
LEGISLATION. I HAVE HEARD FROM
COLLEAGUES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND
PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR DEEP PASSION
AND COMMITMENTS TO PROTECTING
TREES. THE PASSION IS FELT AND
APPRECIATED AND ALSO SHARED. WE
WILL HAVE ROBUST CONVERSATIONS
ON THIS TOPIC AND WE ARE
COMMITTED TO BRINGING A BROAD
RANGE OF VOICES TO THE TABLE. A
DIVERSITY OF PERSPECTIVE IS
ESSENTIAL TO CRAFTING SMART AND
EFFECTIVE POLICY. THIS IS NOT
THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE
TALKED ABOUT TREES, NOR WILL IT
BE THE LAST TIME THAT WE TALK
ABOUT TREES. SO TO EVERYONE WHO
HAS SENT AN EMAIL, A PHONE CALL,
THAT HAVE STOPPED ME AT THE
GROCERY STORE, WE SHARE THEIR
CONCERNS. YOU ALL LIKE TO STOP
ME AS I'M CHECKING OUT TO TELL
ME ABOUT TREES, AND THAT IS
OKAY. I WILL LISTEN. PLEASE KNOW
THAT WE HEAR YOU, WE SEE YOU AND
WE ARE LISTENING. THERE WILL BE
MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR
COMMUNITY INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT
WHEN WE TAKE UP PERMANENT
LEGISLATION FOR THIS IN THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. FOR NOW, OUR
FOCUS IS ON THE INTERIM
LEGISLATION AND WE NEED TO HAVE
A PRESENTATION TODAY THAT WILL
TELL US WHAT OUR PACE LINE IS.
WITH THAT, WE WILL OPEN TO THE
HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
IT SHOULD BE RELATED TO THE
AGENDA ITEMS OR WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE.
OR YOU CAN SHARE A COMMENT ABOUT
HOW MUCH YOU ENJOY BEING A
VEGAN. WE WILL ALLOW THOSE
COMMENTS AS WELL. CLARK, HOW
MANY COMMENTS HAVE SIGNED UP
TODAY?
>> 30 IN PERSON, 18 REMOTE.
>> 30 IN PERSON, 18 REMOTE, AND
LET THE RECORD REFLECT WE ARE
JOINED BY THE PHENOMENAL
COUNCILMEMBER FROM DISTRICT 4,
COUNCILMEMBER AVERA. ALL MY
COUNCILMEMBERS ARE PHENOMENAL.
THANK YOU, SO THAT IS 48
SPEAKERS AND EVERYONE WILL GET
ONE MINUTE TODAY TO SPEAK ON THE
TOPIC, AND CLERK, WILL YOU
PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD?
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED BY CALLING ON
SPEAKERS IN THE ORDER THAT THEY
REGISTERED ON THE WEBSITE OR
FROM THE SIGN UP SHEET AVAILABLE
HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS. WE
WILL START WITH IN PERSON
SPEAKERS FIRST. IF YOU HAVE NOT
REGISTERED TO SPEAK, BUT PLEASE
YOUR NAME AND THE ITEM TO WHICH
YOU ARE ADDRESSING. SPEAKERS
WILL HEAR A CHIME. WHEN THAT 10
SECOND CHIME IS HEARD, THAT
MEANS YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS LEFT
OF YOUR ALLOTTED TIME. SPEAKERS
DO NOT END THEIR COMMENTS COME
THE SPEAKERS MICROPHONES WILL BE
MUTED TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE
NEXT SPEAKER. HE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS NOW OPEN AND WE WILL
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON
THE LIST.
>> WE ARE GOING TO GO 10 IN
PERSON AND THEN ONLINE, AND THEN
WE WILL BOUNCE BACK TO THE
WONDERFUL PEOPLE HERE IN THE
COUNCIL CHAMBERS. SO THE FIRST
SPEAKER UP, I WILL NAME THEM IN
THREES, WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. I AM
AN ORGANIZER WITH TECH FOR
HOUSING, AND A HOMEOWNER IN WEST
SEATTLE, BEAUTIFUL DISTRICT 1. I
LIVE ON A PROPERTY WITH SEVERAL
LARGE TREES , SOME OF WHICH I
LOVE AND SOME ARE MORE
PROBLEMATIC, BUT I HAVE BEEN
HEARTENED TO HEAR THAT THE TREE
APPLICANT FRIENDS, MANY OF WHOM
ARE IN THE ROOM WITH US, CLAIM
THAT TREE CANOPY AND HOUSING
ABUNDANCE ARE OPPOSING GOALS. I
AGREE WITH THAT, AND LET'S GET
REAL ABOUT STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE
IT. NUMBER ONE, WE NEED TO BUILD
FOR WE NEED TALLER HEIGHT LIMITS
INCLUDING SIX STORIES WITHIN TWO
FULL BLOCKS OF BUS ROUTES AND
FOUR STORY STACKED FLATS
EVERYWHERE ELSE AND WE NEED TO
REPRIORITIZE SPACE AWAY FROM
PERSONAL VEHICLES TOWARDS TREES
AND HOUSING INCLUDING
ELIMINATING ALL PARKING MANDATES
AND ALLOCATING MORE PUBLIC
RIGHT-OF-WAY TO TREES TO SAVE
THE TREES BUILT WITHOUT SPRAWL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAME SHARON
COUNCILMEMBERS. I'M THE POLICY
MANAGER AT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
AND SERVE ON THE STEERING
COMMITTEE OF THE COMPLETE
COMMUNITY COALITION. LIKE YOU
SAID, SEATTLE NEEDS MORE HOMES
AND MORE TREES. THESE ARE NOT
PRIORITIES THAT ARE MUTUALLY
EXCLUSIVE, AND HABITAT SUPPORTS
THE DIRECTION THAT THE CITY HAS
TAKEN WITH THE CURRENT TREE
CODE. THE EXISTING CODE STRIKES
A THOUGHTFUL BALANCE. IT
PROTECTS SIGNIFICANT TREES WHILE
PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY TO KEEP
HOUSING PRODUCTION MOVING
THROUGH OPTIONS LIKE ADDITIONAL
HEIGHT, PRODUCED SETBACKS OR
DEPARTURES FROM CERTAIN
REQUIREMENTS WHEN TREES ARE
PRESERVED. THESE TOOLS HELP MAKE
IT POSSIBLE TO DELIVER THE HOMES
OUR COMMUNITY URGENCY --
URGENTLY NEEDS. PRESERVATION
ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH. THE CITY
SHOULD BE INVESTING IN NEW TREE
PLANTINGS AND RIGHT-OF-WAY
PLACES WHERE WE CAN GROW THE
CANOPY WITHOUT LIMITING. HABITAT
PROVES EVERY DAY THAT WE CAN
HAVE BOTH TREES AND HOUSING. WE
HAVE GROWN THE PIPELINE FROM
UNDER 200 UNITS --
>> WE HAVE AL HARRISON AND THEN
WALTER EN AND GALEN. YOU ALL ARE
UP NEXT ON THE DOCKET.
>> I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MYSELF
AND THE THOUSANDS ACROSS THE
CITY THAT WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO
MAKE IT TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT
SCHEDULE AT 2:00 P.M. ON A
WEEKDAY. YOU WILL HEAR THAT THIS
PLAN WILL TURN SEATTLE INTO A
TREELESS TARMAC BUT I'M HERE TO
TELL YOU IT IS THE OPPOSITE. WE
HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THE
POPULATION TO BE IN THE MILLIONS
BY MID CENTURY. WE SHOULD BUILD
ENOUGH HOUSING SO THAT KIDS IN
THIS ROOM DON'T HAVE TO PUSH
SOMEONE OUT TO LIVE CLOSE TO
THEIR PARENTS OR HAVE ACRES OF
FOREST OUT EAST TO BE CUT DOWN
IN ORDER TO LIVE NEARBY. IN THE
CITY OF THE FUTURE I HOPE THAT
THE DECISIONS OF THIS COUNCIL DO
NOT MEAN THAT THE FORESTS WILL
BE TWICE AS FAR AWAY AS THEY
USED TO BE AND I HOPE YOU DON'T
HAVE TO LEVEL MORE TREES IN THE
CITY FOR THE PARKING THAT WAS
PEOPLE ON THE OUTSKIRTS WILL
NEED TO COMMUTE TO THEIR JOBS
AND ALSO A FEW PEOPLE IN THE
PAST DID HAVE TO HAVE A TALL
BUILDING CLOSE TO THEM. WE MUST
BUILD UP, NOT OUT AND THAT MEANS
KEEPING NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND
STACK LIMITS AS PART OF THE
CITY. BUILD TALL, NOT SPRAWL,
THANK YOU.
>> WE HAVE WALTER, IAN, AND
GALEN.
>> MY NAME IS WALTER HATCH. I
LIVE IN GREENWOOD. AND I AM A
VOLUNTEER FOR THE HOMELESS
ADVOCATES. WE NEED MUCH GREATER
DENSITY IN THIS CITY TO SLOW THE
RISE OF RENTS, TO MAKE HOUSING
AVAILABLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND
OTHERS WITHOUT RESOURCES. WE
NEED TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS IN
THE CITY. IF YOU ARE AGAINST UP
ZONING, I THINK YOU LOSE
CREDIBILITY WHEN YOU COMPLAIN
ABOUT THE HOMELESS. TREES AND
DENSITY DO NOT NEED TO BE IN
OPPOSITION. THE URBANIST , A
NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE ONLINE ,
WROTE RECENTLY ABOUT THE CITY OF
MUNICH IN GERMANY, SUGGESTING
THAT GREATER DENSITY WAS
POSSIBLE THERE AS WELL AS
RETAINING THE CANOPY. WE CAN DO
BOTH. THANK YOU.
>> HI, IAN.
>> I'M A HOMEOWNER IN
HOUSING. I LOVE THE TREES IN
MOUNT BAKER SAC MORE TREES
FALLING IN THE PARK IT IS CLEAR
WE MUST PLANT MORE TREES
THROUGHOUT SEATTLE. 19 MORE
TREES SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME
LARGE IN SEATTLE ENSURES WE HAVE
A PATHWAY BUT DECREASING TREE
CANOPY WERE SINGLE TREES ARE
REMOVED ALLOWS FOR GREATER
DENSITY AND THIS . DIVERSITY IN
THE NEIGHBORHOODS STRENGTHENING
THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF SEATTLE.
ENVIRONMENT DEPENDS ON GREATER
DENSITY, PROXIMITY TO BASIC
NEEDS LIKE FOOD AND GROCERIES,
WHICH ALLOWED ME TO LIVE WITHOUT
A CAR IN SEATTLE FOR NINE YEARS,
SOMETHING WE CAN EXTEND TO MORE
NEIGHBORS PRIORITIZING LONG-TERM
URBAN CANOPY RATHER THAN ANY
SINGLE TREE.
>>> FOLLOWING GALEN WE HAVE
MARTHA. WE HAVE PULPY AND THEN
EZEKIEL. YOU ALL ARE UP NEXT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. I AM
A PHINNEY RIDGE HOMEOWNER AND A
FATHER OF TWO AND THE
ENERGY IN THIS ROOM FROM PEOPLE
WHO TRULY CARE ABOUT MAKE AND
KEEPING SEATTLE A WORLD-CLASS
CITY. AND I WANT TO REMIND YOU
ALL THAT FOR EVERY ONE OF US
HERE THERE ARE 1000 OTHER
CONSTITUENTS AT HOME WHO ARE
EITHER PICKING THEIR KIDS UP OR
AT THEIR WORK, WHO WORRY ABOUT
HOUSING COSTS EVERY MONTH AND
THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT RENTS
GOING UP AND WORRIED ABOUT THE
MORTGAGE AND THEY ARE WORRIED
ABOUT IF I HAVE KIDS WILL I BE
ABLE TO GET LIKE AN APARTMENT
WITH A LARGER FOOTPRINT OR A
HOUSE? I USED TO BE ONE OF THOSE
PEOPLE. SORRY, DISTRACTED. SO,
SEATTLE NEEDS MORE HOMES AND
SEATTLE ALSO NEEDS MORE TREES. I
THINK WE ALL AGREE ON THAT AND
THEY ARE NOT HUGELY EXCLUSIVE.
WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE ALLOWING
ADDITIONAL HEIGHT, FLOOR AREA,
PARKING REQUIREMENTS WHILE
PRESERVING TREES AND MAKING
STACKED FLATS FOUR STORIES.
LET'S MAKE HOUSING , LET'S
MAKE ENOUGH HOUSING FOR EVERYONE
IN SEATTLE.
>> NEXT WE HAVE MARTHA,
PENELOPE, ADELE AND EZEKIEL.
>> IT AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBERS
AND THANK YOU FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY. WE ARE SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM
McDONALD INTERNATIONAL. WE ARE
HERE BECAUSE WE FOUND OUT THAT
THE GREEN LAKE SEQUOIA IS IN
DANGER OF BEING CUT DOWN.
ALTHOUGH SHE IS JUST ONE TREE
SHE REPRESENTS THOUSANDS OF
TREES IN SEATTLE. WE NEED YOU TO
SAVE SEATTLE TREES FOR MANY
REASONS INCLUDING --
>> BIG TREES PRODUCE HEAT
ISLANDS.
>> THE KEEP OUR WATER CLEAN FOR
SALMON, ORCA AND OTHER ANIMALS.
>> THEY HELP PEOPLE LEAD LONGER
HEALTHIER LIVES AND SLOW THE
IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING.
>> YOU MIGHT BE THINKING THAT WE
WON'T BE ABLE TO BUILD MORE
HOUSES IF WE DON'T CUT DOWN
TREES, BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO
BUILD HOUSES WITHOUT CUTTING
DOWN TREES. YOU CAN HIRE AN
ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHITECT TO
ARRANGE BUILDINGS IN A DIFFERENT
WAY SO THAT YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO
CUT DOWN TREES.
>> PLEASE HELP SAVE SEATTLE'S
TREES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION AND TIME.
>> THANK YOU, MY YOUNG PEOPLE
FOR COMING. ANYTIME YOUNG PEOPLE
COME TO TALK IN FRONT OF PEOPLE
IT IS THE HARDEST THING TO DO IN
THE FACT THAT YOU ALL KNOW HOW
TO PUBLICLY SPEAK -- I WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL FOR EXPRESSING
THAT. THANK YOU ALL, AND
SKIPPING SCHOOL. YOU GOT OUT
EARLY? OH, EARLY DISMISSAL.
OKAY.
I GOT YOU.
>> IS WHAT THEY CALL IT NOW.
>> IS IT IS EZEKIEL?
>> MY NAME IS EZEQUIEL AND I'M
ALMOST 9 YEARS OLD. I'M HERE TO
TALK ABOUT DAN STRAUSS AND THE
REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL. FIRST
INTERESTED IN PROTESTING SEATTLE
TREES WHEN I MET A CEDAR TREE IN
WEDGEWOOD. WE WORKED HARD TO
SAVE LUNA, BUT SINCE EVERY
SINGLE TREE I HAVE TRIED TO SAVE
HAS BEEN CUT DOWN. THIS IS
WRONG, BUT TODAY YOU HAVE A
CHANCE TO MAKE IT RIGHT , FOR ME
AND ALL THE KIDS IN THE CITY.
THAT IS WHAT WE DESERVE IN
SEATTLE.
>> THANK YOU, EZEKIEL.
DID YOU HAVE EARLY DISMISSAL
TOO? OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.
APPRECIATE YOU.
>> THAT IS A TOUGH ACT TO
FOLLOW, BUT GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MARTHA BROWN
AND ON SLIDE 21 OF TODAY'S
PRESENTATION IT SAYS THAT 141
TIER 2 TREES HAVE BEEN REMOVED
AND 665 HAVE BEEN PROTECTED .
THIS MAKES IT LOOK LIKE MORE
LARGE TREES WERE SAVED THEN WERE
REMOVED. IN REALITY, DATA SHOWS
THAT ONLY 3% OF THESE SAVED
TREES WERE PROTECTED BY THE
ORDINANCE, AND THAT IS ONLY 20
OF THE CLAIMED 665 PROTECTED
TREES.
THE REST OF THEM ON THE LIST ARE
THERE ONLY TO DISTRACT FROM THE
ONGOING LOSS OF OUR LARGEST AND
MOST VALUABLE TREES. IT IS NOW
REQUIRED THAT EVEN KITCHEN
REMODEL PERMIT APPLICATIONS LIST
ALL THE TREES IN THE YARD SO
THAT THEY CAN BE PROTECT DID.
THE URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION IN
THE ARTICLE AND INVESTIGATE WEST
CONFIRMS THE DECEPTION. THANK
YOU. HERE IS THE ARTICLE IF YOU
WANT TO KEEP IT ON FILE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW WE ARE
GOING TO BOUNCE TO THE ONLINE
SPEAKERS AND WE WILL COME BACK
TO IN PERSON ONCE YOUR NAME IS
CALLED YOU WILL PRESS *6. FIRST
PERSON UP IS CECELIA BLACK.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS SEATTLE
BLACK . I MAY RENTER IN
WASHINGTON. AND I WANT TO ECHO
WHAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY
CALLED IN TO SAY IN THAT WE MUST
PROTECT OUR TREES AND ALSO
PROTECT OUR RENTERS. CHOOSING
BETWEEN HOUSING, OUR COMMUNITIES
AND PROTECTING THE TREES IS A
FALSE NARRATIVE WE CANNOT GET
INTO. BETWEEN 2016 AND 2021
CANOPY LOSS DUE TO NEW
DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNTED FOR JUST
0.25% OF SEATTLE'S TOTAL TREE
CANOPY. AND THE REPORT ALSO
NOTES THAT THE MAJORITY OF TREE
LOSS WILL BE REVERSED AS IT
REQUIRES REPLACEMENT TREES TO
MATURE. WE ARE IN A HOUSING
CRISIS AND WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH
HOMES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
HERE NOW OR THE PEOPLE THAT WILL
BE COMING IN THE NEXT DECADE.
THIS MUST BE OUR CITIES
PRIORITY. IT IS CRITICAL TO OUR
ENVIRONMENT AND WE KNOW THAT
SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING INCREASES
RELIANCE ON CARS AND PUSHES
PEOPLE FURTHER INTO THE SUBURBS
WITH DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES TO
THE ENVIRONMENT. THE CITY SHOULD
BE PROTECTING EXPANDING OUR TREE
CANOPY WITH FOCUS ON PLANTING
TREES IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY WHICH
ACCOUNTS FOR 27% OF LAND AND
PARKS.
POLICIES THAT KEEP PEOPLE
VULNERABLE AND DISPLACED IN THE
HOUSING MARKET.
>> THANK YOU, CECELIA. WE HAVE
JOSHUA MORRIS FOLLOWED BY HANS
RASMUSSEN.
JUST PRESS *6, JOSHUA.
>> HI THERE, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M THE CONSERVATION DIRECTOR I
COMMISSIONER FROM 2019 THROUGH
MARCH OF THIS YEAR AND I'M NO
LONGER ON THE COMMISSION --
COMPOSITION SCIENTIST. DUE TO
CURRENT REGULATORY FUNDING AND
CULTURAL CONDITION, THERE IS NO
WAY SEATTLE -- GOALS.
THE GROWTH STRATEGY INTERIM
COMPLIANCE LEGISLATION WILL
FURTHER EXACERBATE -- THE COUNTY
IS LED BY THE EXECUTIVE. THE
COUNT OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
AND ENVIRONMENT -- THE IMPACT OF
DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS.
THIS CONCLUSION IS GROSSLY OVER
STEPPED THE INTERIM OF THE
ANALYSIS. THE ASSERTION THAT
DEVELOPMENT -- THE POSITION IS
SUPPORTED BY THE ANALYSIS. AND
ANY EXPLICIT REQUIREMENT TO --
EVERY LOT, SPECIFICALLY FOR
TREES.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I
AM AN ARCHITECT AND ELDER OF
SMALL HOUSING HERE IN THE CITY.
LATER IN THIS PRESENTATION YOU
WILL SEE PROPOSALS TO USE THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY TO EXPAND THE
CANOPY AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU
TO SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS AND
ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME BACK WITH
PROPOSALS THAT ARE BIGGER AND
BOLDER ABOUT HOW WE CAN USE THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR MORE TREES.
THIS AND IF IT'S EVERYONE
EQUITABLY WITHOUT REDUCING THE
MUCH NEEDED EXPANDING ZONING
CAPACITY. SUPPORTING CANOPY
GROWTH SHOULD NOT COME AT THE
EXPENSE OF HOUSING. SO WE HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TREE LINED
STREETS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY ARE ALSO FULL OF HOMES AND
PEOPLE. WE WANT LOTS FOR TREES
AND CARS AT A CITY FOR TREES AND
PEOPLE. OVER THE COMING MONTHS
WE WILL REVIEW GOAL PROPOSALS
FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATES.
BUILD MORE HOUSING.
>> NEXT WE HAVE ROBIN BRIGGS
FOLLOWED BY TIFFANY McCOY.
>> IT AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN
HANDLES LAND-USE BETWEEN
DIFFERENT USES CAUSING CARS
TREES PICKED TO, BECAUSE YOU
CANNOT OPTIMIZE FOR ALL THREE.
IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN CAPITOL
HILL IN CENTRAL SEATTLE, THE
CITY HAS PUT LARGE PLANTERS AND
ROUNDABOUTS OF NON-ARTERIAL
STREETS. HE SERVE AS TRAFFIC
CALMING AND KEEP PEOPLE FROM
DRIVING TOO FAST BUT ALSO SERVE
AS A SPACE FOR TREES AND THE
TREES PLANTED THERE BACK IN THE
70s ARE NOW FULL-SIZE. I'M SURE
THAT WAS AN EXPENSE TO DOING
THIS BUT THEY DID IT IN THE 70s,
SO IT CANNOT BE THAT EXPENSIVE.
WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS BIG TIME
OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS TO
REDUCE POLLUTION. ONE THING YOU
ALL COULD DO FOR FREE AND THAT
IS TO RAISE HEIGHT LIMITS. WITH
TALLER BUILDINGS YOU CAN FIT
FAMILY SIZED APARTMENTS AND
STILL HAVE MORE GROUND SPACE FOR
TREES AND GARDENS. AND IF YOU
INCENTIVIZE SHARED WALLS THERE
WOULD BE LARGER SPACES TO ALLOW
FOR LARGER TREES.
ONE THING I'M SURE OF, WILL
MAKE THE CITY A POORER PLACE.
THERE ARE SOLUTIONS BUT THEY
REQUIRE TRADE-OFFS.
>> NEXT WE HAVE TIFFANY McCOY
FOLLOWED BY RANDY BANNEKER.
JUST PRESS *6.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I
AM THE COEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
HOUSE OUR NEIGHBORS. I'M
CALLING IN SUPPORT OF THE TREE
CANOPY AND DECARBONIZATION, AND
CLIMATE MITIGATION. I BELIEVE
EVERYONE SHOWING UP TODAY HAS
ONE CORE GOAL IN COMMON AND THAT
IS TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS
IN OUR CITY. WHERE WE DIFFER IS
THE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THE
CLIMATE CRISIS. WE NEED A STRONG
TREE CANOPY AND WE MUST ALSO
ADDRESS THE RELIANCE ON
VEHICLES. ACCORDING TO A CITY
STUDY NEARLY 90% OF
TRANSPORTATION ADMISSIONS CAME
FROM VEHICLES. 40% OF OUR
OMISSIONS CAME FROM BUILDINGS
AND THEIR RELIANCE ON THE
DIVERTING OF FOSSIL FUELS FOR
ENERGY AND HEATING. THE NEXT
COMP PLAN SHOULD PRIORITIZE
CARBON BUILDING BUILDINGS AND
THE CARBON ICING UPGRADES. I ASK
THE COUNCIL TO LOOK AT THE WIDE
RANGE OF WAYS TO REDUCE OUR
CARBON FOOTPRINT IN THE CITY.
THANK YOU.
>> FOLLOWING RANDY BANNEKER AND
THEN RUBY HOLLAND.
>> THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'M
RANDY BANNEKER HERE ON BEHALF OF
THE SEATTLE REALTORS. I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND URGE THAT
YOU BE BOLD IN ENABLING MORE
HOUSING TO BE BUILT THROUGHOUT
OUR CITY. MORE MARKET RATE
HOUSING SUPPLY IS THE ONLY WAY
TO IMPROVE AFFORDABILITY FOR
HOMEBUYERS AND RENTERS. TODAY
YOU ARE FOCUSED ON TREES AND WE
URGE THAT YOU NOT PIT TREES
AGAINST HOUSING. WE CAN HAVE
BOTH. FLEXIBILITY IN THE FRONT
AND REAR SETBACKS CAN FACILITATE
TREE RETENTION. IN ADDITION WE
CAN GET MUCH MORE SOPHISTICATED
ABOUT OUR STREET TREE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE EXCELLENT EXAMPLES OF
WELL TRIMMED BEAUTIFUL STREETS
THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. LET'S
BRING SDOT ONS AND I URGE YOU A
FINANCIAL OBSTACLES TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF MIDDLE HOUSING
SUCH AS MHA TYPE FEES AT THAT
LEVEL. RAISING THE COST OF
BUILDING WILL EITHER HEART HALT
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT OR MAKE IT
TOO COSTLY.
>> NEXT WE HAVE MISS HOLLAND,
MISS RUBY, AND THEN STEVE.
>> THEY USE UP ZONING TO STEAL
LOTS FROM THE WORKING CLASS AND
HOUSE THE RICH, WHITE AND
IMMIGRANT OLIGARCHS WHO --
SEATTLE WHERE AVAILABLE LAND IS
SCARCE. I HAVE BEEN A STRONG
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT BRAND,
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THIS
DISTRACTION. I FULLY EMBRACE HB
1110 WHICH ALLOWS US TO KEEP OUR
YARDS AND STREETS AND WOULD
CONSIDER IT AN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT
STRATEGY IN ITSELF FOR UPS OWNED
COMMUNITIES TO BE TREATED LIKE
EVERY OTHER COMMUNITY IN
WASHINGTON STATE, NO MORE, NO
LESS. BIRDS ARE ON THE DECLINE
DUE TO MASSIVE TREES AND PEOPLE
WILL , WORKING CLASS PEOPLE ARE
ON THE DECLINE DUE TO THE LACK
OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THE
LACK OF HOUSING THAT WE ARE NOT
BEING DISPLACED OF. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT WE HAVE STEVE ZEMKE
FOLLOWED BY BRITTANY COX.
>> I'M SPEAKING FOR TREE PACK
AND FRIENDS OF SEATTLE URBAN
FOREST. WE NEED MORE TREES WHILE
BUILDING MORE NEEDED HOUSING
UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IT
IS NECESSARY TO MAKE AMENDMENTS
TO 2511. FIRST THE ISSUE IS
REMOVE THE DEFINITION OF THE
BASIC TREE PROTECTION AREA
PROPOSED BY THE MASTER BUILDERS
ASSOCIATION AND ADDED IN THE
2023 TREE ORDINANCE. IT HAS
ALLOWED DEVELOPERS TO REMOVE
MOST TREES THAT ARE ON SEATTLE
MIXED ZONES AND THIS REMOVES THE
ABILITY OF SDCI TO ASK FOR
ALTERNATIVE SITE PLANS WHICH ARE
POSSIBLE UNDER CURRENT ESSAY
GUIDELINES. THE SECOND ISSUE IS
TO CHANGE THE PLAN , REMOVING
PLANNING TREES FOR TREES REMOVED
AND IN LIEU OF A MITIGATION TREE
FOR TREE SERVICES LOST WHEN
REMOVING LARGER TREES. THIS IS
WHAT PORTLAND, OREGON DOES AND
THEY COLLECT OVER $1 MILLION A
YEAR TO COMPENSATE -- AND USING
IT TO PLANT MORE TREES. THEY
ALSO ALLOW FOR FLEXES IN
PORTLAND. ASKED THE CITY HOW
MUCH THEY COLLECT AT THE CURRENT
IN THE LOOP.
>> NEXT WE HAVE BRITNEY FOLLOWED
BY EILEEN.
>> MY NAME IS BRITTANY COX AND
I'M A RENTER IN DISTRICT 3 FOR
NEARLY 2 DECADES. OUR CURRENT
TREE CODE DOES NOT PROTECT
TREES. EXCEPTIONAL TREES ARE
BEING REMOVED FOR DRIVEWAYS AND
PLANTING YOUNG TREES WHEN
CUTTING DOWN EXCEPTIONAL TREES
DOES NOT MAKE UP FOR THE TREE
THAT WAS LOST , ESPECIALLY WHEN
IT WAS OVER 100 YEARS OLD. WE
HAVE A CLIMATE CRISIS AND NEED
TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO INCREASE
DENSITY AND PROTECT TREES.
LET'S THINK ABOUT PRACTICAL
SOLUTIONS. RESERVE SETBACKS. IF
WE REMOVE THE PROPOSALS TO REAR
YARDS FROM 25 TO 10 FEET THIS
WILL REDUCE SPACE FOR TREES. WE
NEED TO PROTECT GREEN SPACES. IF
WE REMOVE SUCH AS 90% HARD
SCAPE, THAT YOU KNOW, IF WE WORK
ON THAT THAT WILL LEAVE SPACE
FOR TREES. IF WE LOOK TO
PORTLAND'S EXAMPLE, BY
REQUIRING 20% UP TO 40% TREE
RETENTION AND PLANTING, WE CAN
MAINTAIN TREES. IF WE TRY TO
REQUIRE ALTERNATIVE SITE PLANS
WHILE RETAINING TREES, WE CAN
LOOK AT OTHER SOLUTIONS. WE NEED
TO RESTRICT --
>> AND THEN WE HAVE EILEEN, THAT
IS THE LAST ONLINE SPEAKER
BEFORE WE JUMP BACK IN PERSON
AND GO BACK ONLINE. EILEEN? JUST
PRESS *6.
WE SEE YOU ONLINE, JUST PRESS
*6 TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> HI, MY NAME IS EILEEN AND
PERHAPS YOU KNOW THE SONG BY
JONI MITCHELL IN WHICH SHE SINGS
DON'T IT ALWAYS SEEM TO GO THAT
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GOT
TILL IT'S GONE? THEY PAVED
PARADISE TO PUT UP A PARKING
LOT. IS THIS WHAT THE CITY
COUNCIL'S LEGACY WILL BE? THE
TREES ARE CUT AND THE LAND PAVED
OVER? THAT THE COUNCIL ALLOWS
MAJESTIC OLD TREES TO BE
DESTROYED INSTEAD OF REQUIRING
THAT THEY BE SAVED WITH
THOUGHTFUL PLANNING, EVEN IF IT
COSTS MORE. YOU KNOW THE
BENEFITS OF TREES FOR HUMANS BUT
WE ALSO KNOW THAT TREES ARE
ESSENTIAL TO WILDLIFE. THEY
PROVIDE VITAL HABITATS IN WHICH
ANIMALS CAN REPRODUCE , ESCAPE
PREDATORS AND FIND THE SHADE AND
FOOD. I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE
ADOPT THE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED
TREE POLICY IN THE COMP PLAN IN
THE INTERIM BILL. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, I
AM GOING TO PROMOTE THAT WE
CONTINUE TO EXTEND THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. WE REACHED 20
MINUTES BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO
EXTEND IT MORE SO THAT WE CAN
HAVE ALL THE SPEAKERS SPEAK. ANY
OBJECTIONS? AWESOME, WE WILL
KEEP GOING. YOU WILL HEAR NO
OBJECTION.PETER, ALEX TSIMERMAN
AND GRACE -- I CANNOT PRONOUNCE
YOUR LAST NAME, I APOLOGIZE. SO
I CAN SEE PETER.
>> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS PETER REESE
AND THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
MY REQUEST IS THAT YOU BRING A
CRITICAL EYE TO THE DISCUSSION
OF TREES. THE PRESENTATION IS
NATURAL FOR SUCH A THING AND
HIGHLIGHTS THE POSITIVE THINGS
THAT STAFF AND CITY HAVE DONE
AND GLOSSES OVER AN UNDENIABLE
TRUTH, WE REDUCE SETBACKS AND
REDUCE WHAT COVERAGE YOU CANNOT
AVOID HAVING AN ADVERSE EFFECT
ON OUR TREE CANOPY AND QUALITY
OF LIFE. THE PROPOSED INTERIM
LEGISLATION PROPOSES BOTH
REDUCED SETBACKS AND GREATER LOT
COVERAGE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER
THERE WILL BE ONE DWELLING UNIT,
TWO, THREE OR FOUR. THAT IS
EITHER A DRAFTING ERROR OR A
MISUNDERSTANDING OF HB 1110.
COMPLIANCE WITH HB 1110 DOES NOT
REQUIRE ALTERATIONS TO CURRENT
SETBACK REGULATIONS AS OUTLINED
IN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE IS
CHECKLIST. I WILL SHARE WITH YOU
BY EMAIL. I URGE YOU TO STICK
WITH A MINIMALIST APPROACH UNTIL
MORE THOUGHTFUL LEGISLATION IS
PROPOSED. THANK YOU ALL.
>> NEXT WE HAVE ALEX TSIMERMAN
FOLLOWED BY GRACE. AND ALEX, MR.
TSIMERMAN, I'M NOT LISTENING TO
THE SALUTE TODAY. I AM NOT GOING
TO TOLERATE THE SALUTE TODAY.
YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER YOU WANT
FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT
THE LIPS
>> NO SALUTE, NO PROBLEM. NO
SALUTE.
NO SALUTE. SAY HOW MY DIRTY
FASCISTS. MY NAME IS ALEX
TSIMERMAN AND I'M THE PRESIDENT
OF STAND UP AMERICA. I SUPPORT
FROM THE BEGINNING. I HAVE 6000
DAY OF TRESPASS AND FIVE TIMES
-- HOW MANY THOUSAND TIMES I
TALK TO SEATTLE IS -- YOU HAVE
HOUSING AND YOU HAVE TREE, YOU
HAVE HOUSING AND YOU'RE
SUPPOSED TO HAVE TREE AND YOU
HAVE TREE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO
HAVE HOUSING. YOU HAVE TWO USES
FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS. IN THIS
MY EXPRESSION, THAT
INTERNATIONAL EXPRESSION, YOU
CANNOT SIT WITH ONE AND TWO
TOILETS. YOU KNOW, YOU TRY DOING
THIS FOR 30 YEARS AND IT
HAPPENED. NO HOUSING, NO TREE.
CUT ALL TREE, BUILD ALL HOUSING.
STAND UP FOR DONALD TRUMP. STAND
UP FOR AMERICA REVOLUTION.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE --
NEXT WE HAVE GRACE FOLLOWED BY
SUZANNE AND THEN MATT HUTCHINSON
. OR MATT HUTCHINS, MY
APOLOGIES.
>> HI, I'M GRACE AND I'M 11
YEARS OLD AND IN THE FIFTH
GRADE. I HAVE ALWAYS CARED ABOUT
THE ENVIRONMENT AND I HAVE
RECENTLY STARTED TO LEARN ABOUT
THE TREES IN SEATTLE AND THE
CRISIS AND THE CRISIS THAT
SEATTLE'S MATURE TREES ARE IN.
MATURE TREES STOP TOO MUCH
RAINWATER RUNOFF FROM GOING INTO
THE PUGET SOUND AND POLLUTING
IT, AND THE MATURE TREES REALLY
HELP WITH THAT.
MY FRIENDS AND I WILL INHERIT
THIS CITY. AND WE DON'T WANT A
CITY FULL OF POLLUTION. WE WANT
A CITY FULL OF GREENERY AND LIFE
BECAUSE THESE TREES ARE
THRIVING. I ENCOURAGE THE CITY
COUNCIL TO DECLARE OUR CITY AS
BEING IN A CLIMATE CRISIS. AND
TO SAVE OUR TREES AND TO TAKE
STEPS TO FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE
CHANGE. THIS CANNOT WAIT, OR IT
WILL BE TOO LATE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, GRACE.
EARLY DISMISSAL TOO AS WELL?
GOOD JOB.
>> I TEACHER SAID I COULD BE
HERE.
>> AWESOME.
>> AND YOU KNOW, YOU ARE ON
RECORD TOO FOR SAYING THAT. SO
SHE CAN SEE. GOOD JOB, GRACE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING. REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU. AND THEN WE HAVE
MATT HUTCHINS.
>> SUZANNE GRAND HERE TO TALK
ABOUT THE COMP PLAN AND CHEESE.
I WAS HERE WHEN THE COUNCIL
PROMISED TO AMEND THE DISASTROUS
TREE ORDINANCE. HE MIGHT NOT
HAVE BEEN PART OF THE PROMISE
BUT IT NEEDS TO BE HONORED NOW.
TREES AND DENSITY MUST COEXIST
TO CREATE A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT
FOR ALL OF US. I'M GLAD TO HEAR
THAT SOME OF YOU SUPPORT
AMENDMENTS ALLOWING AT LEAST 20%
OF ORIGINAL LOTS TO BE ALLOCATED
AS PERMEABLE SPACE. THIS COULD
BE ACHIEVED, FOR EXAMPLE, BY
RETAINING THE CURRENT SETBACKS
WERE MOVING STRUCTURES CLOSER
TOGETHER TO SAVE EXISTING TREES
ON THE PERIMETER, AND ESPECIALLY
BY UTILIZING CREATIVE,
ARCHITECTURE PLANNING AND
DISMISSING THE DESIRE BY
DEVELOPERS TO CLEAR-CUT THE
ENTIRE LOT AND COVER EVERY INCH
OF IT WITH STRUCTURES. WE NEED
TO RETAIN TREES ON PRIVATE
PROPERTY BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE
MOST OF OUR EXISTING CANOPY IS
AND CAN BE ACCOMMODATED. THE
CITY CANNOT AFFORD TO PROVIDE
AND MAINTAIN AN EQUITABLE 30%
KENNEDY ON PUBLIC LAND. DON'T
DO WHAT TRUMP IS DOING WITH THE
NATIONAL FORESTS, DON'T CUT
DOWN SEATTLE'S VALUABLE TREES.
THANK YOU.
>> YOU PROBABLY CAME UP WITH THE
BEST LINE EVER IN COUNCIL, THERE
IS A HOLE IN THE SKY WHERE THE
TREE ONCE WAS, SOMEBODY IS
MAKING -- I REMEMBER THAT. THAT
WAS SHARED ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA.
HELLO, MATT, WELCOME.
>> WE ALL AGREE THAT WHEN URBAN
TREES ARE CUT DOWN IT IS A
VISCERAL LOSS, A HOLE IN THE
SKY, BUT THE PROBLEM WITH TREE
CANOPY LOSS AND YOU PUT IT IN
PERSPECTIVE, BETWEEN 2016 AND
2021 WE LOST LESS THAN ONE
QUARTER OF 1% OF OUR TREE
CANOPY, THAT IS 35 ACRES VERSUS
15,000 TOTAL ACRES. OVER THE
SAME PERIOD WE BUILT 40,000
HOMES. CLEARLY, WE CAN BUILD
HOUSING WITHOUT DESTROYING OUR
TREE CANOPY. TYPICALLY SUBURBAN
SPRAWL IS ABOUT 10 DWELLING
UNITS PER ACRE, SO IF WE WERE TO
BUILD 40,000 UNITS OUT IN THE
YOU KNOW, EXURBAN AREAS, THAT IS
4000 ACRES OF TREE FOREST AND
LAND THAT WOULD BE SACRIFICED TO
BUILD THE SAME NUMBER OF UNITS,
SO THAT BY BUILDING IN SEATTLE
WE SAVED 3965 ACRES OF TREES AND
ONLY AT THE PRICE OF 35 ACRES.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT WE HAVE JUDY, KATHY,
SUSAN AND JENNIFER. AND THEN WE
WILL JUMP BACK TO THE ONLINE
FOLKS.
>> I HAVE WRITTEN TO EVERY
SINGLE ONE OF YOU MANY TIMES AND
I'M SORRY THE URBAN FORESTRY
COMMISSION NEVER KNEW ABOUT THIS
MEETING HAPPENING TODAY. AND
EVERYBODY HAS COVERED ALL THE
STUFF ABOUT WE CAN HAVE BOTH. WE
HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE PORTLAND
PLAN, 6040, SO I'M 20 JUMP TO
ONE THING YOU HAVE NOT COVERED
YET TODAY. I HAD IT ALL LINED
OUT BUT THIS IS THE ONE NOT
MENTIONED. STOP GIVING
DISCRETION TO SDCI ON WHETHER OR
NOT THEY CAN CUT AN EXCEPTIONAL
TEAR TO TREE. MR. TORGERSEN AND
HIS OFFICE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THAT TREE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT WAS 103 YEARS OLD THAT WAS
CUT DOWN. HE IS SOMEBODY'S DRIVY
OVER THE SEQUOIA. STOP
DITHERING, WE NEED TO HAVE HIM
NOT HAVE THAT DISCRETION. WE
NEED AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS
THOSE TREES STAY. INKY.
>> NEXT WE HAVE KATHY, SUSAN,
AND THEN JENNIFER.
>> HI, MY NAME IS KATHY AND I'M
IN DISTRICT 6. WHAT WE BUILD IS
NOT EASILY UNDONE, AND WE ARE IN
A CRISIS WITH THE CLIMATE. I
WANT YOU TO READ THE BOOK , THE
HEAT WILL KILL YOU FIRST. YOU
CAN READ THE 20 PAGE PROLOGUE IN
THE CHAPTER ON PARIS, WHICH IS
VERY PERTINENT TO US. PLEASE
EDUCATE YOURSELF ON WHAT WE WILL
FACE AND WHAT IT WILL MEAN.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO KEEP PEOPLE
IN THE CITY IF IT IS NOT
SURVIVABLE BECAUSE OF HEAT. SO
THE TREES ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR
SURVIVAL. PLEASE, PLEASE FIND A
WAY . BE CREATIVE. DON'T KEEP
DOING THE SAME OLD SAME OLD. WE
HAVE A CHOICE YOU KNOW , THERE
IS ALWAYS PRESENTED EITHER OR
ALL THE TIME AND WE HAVE ALWAYS
CHOSEN THE ECONOMIC RATHER THAN
THE ENVIRONMENT.
>> THANK YOU, KATHY. NEXT WE
HAVE SUSAN AND THEN JENNIFER.
>> I AM A NATIVE SEATTLEITE.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF NASTY
STUFF COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON
DC THESE DAYS BUT ONE THING
THEY'RE DOING RIGHT IS
PRESERVING THE URBAN TREE CANOPY
WHICH 39.7%. THEY HAVE BEEN
PRIORITIZING RESPONSIBLE
BALANCED GROWTH FROM THE
BEGINNING BUT 2002 ENACTED
SEVERAL ORDINANCES TO PROTECT
THE OLDEST AND LARGEST TREES. IN
DC THERE ARE NEARLY 10,000
PEOPLE PER SQUARE MILE AND IN
SEATTLE OVER 9000. MASTER
BUILDERS ASSOCIATION LEGACY
CAPITOL SHOULD NOT BE RUNNING
THE SHOW. THEY HAVE BEEN
EXPLOITING THE 2023 TREE
ORDINANCE AND BUILDING CODES FOR
MAXIMUM PROFIT. WHAT SHOULD
HAPPEN NEXT DOOR, ACROSS THE
STREET AND NEIGHBORHOODS ARE
TERRIFIED OF BECOMING LIKE
BALLARD. THEY ARE MAKING IT
HOTTER STILL AND KEEP IN MIND,
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF US WHO DO NOT HAVE AIR
CONDITIONING OR CANNOT AFFORD
IT. PAVEMENT CONTINUES TO ADMIT
HEAT AFTER SUNDOWN. THEY CAN
HELP KEEP IT CONSIDERABLY COOLER
AND THE URBAN FORESTRY
COMMISSION IS BETTER EQUIPPED TO
MAKE DECISIONS THAT TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT THE IMPACTS ON OUR CITY
AND REGION AS A WHOLE.
>> NEXT WE HAVE JENNIFER.
>> I AM PRO-AFFORDABLE HOUSING
INCREASES AND PRO-HUMAN HEALTH.
COUNTLESS STUDIES SUPPORT HUMAN
HEALTH BENEFITS, HOWEVER, WHO
FILTERS THE WATER FOR THE
SOUTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES?
KING COUNTY SAYS STORMWATER
RUNOFF IS THE NUMBER ONE SOURCE
OF POLLUTION AND ONE OF THE TOP
THREE THREATS TO THE 74
REMAINING CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
-- THE SOQ RECOVERY PLAN
GUIDELINES IN FOR BIG TREES IN
THIS LEGISLATION. THEY FILTER
AND REDUCE POLLUTED RUNOFF BY
RETENTION. SIZE MATTERS,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
TREES AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES.
ONE 30 INCH DOUGLAS FIR TREE
MANAGES 500,000 GALLONS OF
STORMWATER AND RAINWATER. ONE
THREE INCH DOUGLAS FIR TREE
MANAGES ONLY 2.95 GALLONS IN ONE
YEAR. THAT IS 5%. WHERE ARE THE
STORMWATER BENEFITS IN
SEATTLE'S CANOPY COVER
ASSESSMENT? WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE
ORCA'S IS GOOD FOR US.
>> THANK YOU, JENNIFER. ONLINE,
WE HAVE SHARON DOBIE NEXT AND
THEN PHOENICIA. JUST PRESS *6.
CAN YOU HEAR US? JUST PRESS *6.
WE SEE YOU ONLINE.
SHARON, CAN YOU HEAR US? *6. IF
NOT WE WILL GO ON TO THE NEXT
SPEAKER AND COME BACK TO YOU.
JUST PRESS *6.
*6.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> OKAY. HEY, EVERYONE. I WOULD
LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
HOLDING THIS MEETING AS
IMPORTANT AS TREES ARE AS
EVERYONE HAS SPOKEN ON, WE KNOW
THAT HOUSING IS AN ISSUE HERE IN
SEATTLE. AND AS A HIGHLAND PARK
RESIDENT AND A PERSON WITH A
DISABILITY AND AS A POWER
WHEELCHAIR USER IT IS IMPORTANT
THAT WE UP ZONING AND THAT WE DO
NOT DECREASE AS FAR AS ALLOWING
TALLER BUILDINGS TO BE BUILT
ESPECIALLY WITH A STACKED FLAT
AND THAT IS MAINLY WHERE ANY
TYPE OF ACCESSIBLE HOUSING GETS
BUILT. WE SEE A LOT OF
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AND
TOWNHOMES GOING UP, ALL OF WHICH
ARE NOT BUILT WITH ANY
ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS AND WE
DO NEED MORE OF THOSE IN OUR
CITY. AS FAR AS PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES BORN WITH OR
WHETHER YOU ARE -- AGE IN PLACE,
WE CAN HAVE TREES AND HOUSING.
LET'S MAKE THIS WORK. THANK
YOU.
>> NEXT WE HAVE -- ACTUALLY,
SHARON? SHARON, YOU ARE READY TO
GO. YOU ARE NEXT AND THEN JESSE
SIMPSON IS NEXT.
PRESS *6 AGAIN, SHARON. THERE
YOU GO.
WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. CAN YOU
HEAR US, SHARON? YOUR PHONE
MIGHT BE MUTED. WE WILL COME
BACK TO YOU, DON'T WORRY. JESSE
SIMPSON, YOUR UP NEXT.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> YES, GO AHEAD.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION, WHICH IS I
REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE
URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION IN THE
SPEAKERS GROUP TODAY. AND GOING
ON FROM THERE, I THINK WE
ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO REDO THE 2023
TREE ORDINANCE. IT IS NOT
PROJECTED TO TWO OR TIER 3 TREES
AS MENTIONED BY MANY PEOPLE
TODAY. WE NEED TO MOVE TREE
MANAGEMENT OUT OF SDCI. WE KNOW
THAT THEY ARE BIASED AND THAT
THEY PRODUCED INFLATED DATA AND
WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE RESPONDED
MORE TO DEVELOPERS AND THEY HAVE
TWO CONSERVATIONISTS. WE NEED A
NEW 2023 PLAN AND WE NEED A 2025
PLAN, AND WE NEED REALLY, BEFORE
THE INTERIM PLAN IS PUT INTO
EFFECT. WE ALSO NEED TO AMEND
THE INTERIM PLAN TO REDUCE THE
SETBACKS, HAVE SETBACKS GO BACK
TO WHAT WE HAD BEFORE, NOT
INCREASE LOT COVERAGE UNTIL SUCH
TIME AS WE HAVE REDONE THE TREE
PLAN.
>> NEXT WE HAVE JESSE SIMPSON
FOLLOWED BY BERNICE.
JUST PRESS *6, JESSE. AND YOU
ARE GOOD TO GO.
>> IT AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. I'M WITH THE HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT CONSORTIUM. SEATTLE
NEEDS MORE HOMES AND TREES. FOR
THE SMART POLICY TO ENCOURAGE
TREE PRESERVATION DURING
REDEVELOPMENT WITH FLEXIBILITY.
THAT LOOKS LIKE PROMOTING
STACKED FLATS AND OFFERING
FLURRY OF BONUSES OR ALLOWING
REDUCED SETBACKS WHEN IT HELPS
TO MOVE THE BULK OF
ACCOUNTABILITY AROUND THE LOT
AND SAVES THE TREE. WE CANNOT
LET TREE PROTECTION BECOME A
BACKDOOR WAY TO DESPERATELY
NEEDED HOUSING.
SCALA EFFORTS TO PLANT NEW TREES
IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IN THE
PARKING THAT IS WHERE THE CITY
CAN DIRECTLY EXPAND THE TREE
CANOPY WITHOUT RESTRICTING
HOUSING. AND OF COURSE, WE WANT
TO SAVE EVERY TREE AND BUILD ALL
THE HOMES THAT WE NEED. WHEN
THOSE GOALS COME INTO CONFLICT
YOU MUST CHOOSE HOUSING. LET'S
BE CLEAR, BUILDING HOMES IN
SEATTLE IS GOOD. JOBS, REDUCE
CARBON EMISSIONS AND PROTECT
FOREST AND FARMLAND FROM SPRAWL.
>> AND OUR LAST THREE ONLINE
SPEAKERS BEFORE WE JUMP BACK
ONTO -- THAT COMPLETES OUR
ONLINE IS BERNICE HOLDEN AND
DAVID. SO, BERNICE YOU ARE UP,
*6, HOLDEN AND THEN DAVID.
>> HIGH, GREENWOOD RESIDENT .
SEATTLE'S PROPOSED
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS TERRIBLE
FOR TREES, ALLOWING OUR CITY TO
LITERALLY BE PAVED OVER. ABOUT
75% OF SEATTLE'S TREES ARE ON
PRIVATELY OWNED LAND. IF WE
ALLOW 90% UP TO 100% TO BECOME
HARD SCAPE, THAT IS NOT LEAVE
MANY TREES AND -- TEMPERATURES
CAN BE 20 DEGREES HOTTER THAN
OTHER AREAS. GIVEN THE VERY HIGH
COST OF MAINTAINING THESE TREES
, TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
OVER 20 YEARS , AND THE LOSS OF
MATURE TREE BENEFITS, IT MAKES
THE MOST SENSE TO MAINTAIN
EXISTING TREES BY REQUIRING
DEVELOPERS TO BUILD DENSELY WITH
SHARED WALLS AND STACKED FLATS
INSTEAD OF SPREADING OUT HOUSING
WITHIN THE LOT. PA
AT LEAST 20% OF THE ORIGINAL
LOTS TO BE ALLOCATED TO RETAIN
AND PLANT TREES WITHIN PRIVATE
PROPERTY. WE NEED BOTH HOUSING
AND TREES.
>> NEXT WE HAVE HOLDEN FOLLOWED
BY DAVID HAYNES.
>> HOWDY, COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE TODAY. UNDRESSING THE
COMP PLAN AS IT RELATES TO
TREES. WHILE BIKING AND WALKING
AROUND THE CITY I CANNOT HELP
BUT NOTICE HOW MUCH SPACE WE
GIVE TO CARS INSTEAD OF TREES
WHETHER IT IS SURFACE PARKING
LOTS WHERE PEOPLE PARKING IN
THEIR YARDS OR TRAFFIC CALMING
MEASURES. DRIVING IN SEATTLE IS
THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO
CLIMATE CHANGE. ESPECIALLY GIVEN
OUR CITY'S COMMITMENT TO
TACKLING THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
FOLKS WANT TO SAVE THE TREES,
RIDE THE BUS OR RIDE A BIKE .
AND ENCOURAGE HOUSING SO THAT
FOLKS CAN AFFORDABLY LIVE CLOSER
TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO TAKING
CARS LESS NECESSARY AND HOUSING
ACROSS THE CITY IS NOT THE ENEMY
OF TREES. CAR INDEPENDENT
STRUCTURE IS. DON'T OVER
REGULATE THE PROCESS, THANK YOU.
>> NEXT WE HAVE DAVID HAYNES.
>> IT IS REPULSIVE WHEN PEOPLE
DRIVE THROUGH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
THINKING THEY ARE SO
ENVIRONMENTALLY SOPHISTICATED
THAT THE TREE ON YOUR LOT IS
THERE TO ALLOW THEM TO ALLOW
THEIR TOXIC EXHAUST TO BE
CONSUMED BY THE TREE. WE NEED TO
START BLOCKING AND GETTING RID
OF THE ROADS. JUST DIG IT UP AND
GIVE IT OVER TO DEVELOPERS TO
BUILD MORE HOUSING AND PLANT
MORE TREES. ALWAYS ASSUMING THAT
ASPHALT AND CONCRETE IS THE
FOUNDATION OF A CAR CENTRIC
NEIGHBORHOOD. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT
WEAPON EYES THE TREE ORDINANCE,
TRYING TO RUIN IT FOR OTHERS WHO
WANT MONEY FIRST CENTURY WORLD
CLASS HOUSING. WHY IS CITY
COUNCIL TRYING TO RESTRICT
HIGHER LEVELS OF HOUSING?
BUILDING HIGHER LEVELS DOES NOT
KILL OFF ANY MORE TREES. IT
BUILDS MORE HOMES WITHOUT LOW
LEVEL SPRAWL ALLOWING BETTER
VIEWS AND MORE ENJOYABLE
AMENITIES. INSTEAD OF MORE
STREET-LEVEL INNER-CITY NOISE.
SHAME ON MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR
ARBITRARY RESTRICTIONS AND FILL
IN THE BLANK NUMBERS --
APPEASING SELLOUTS WHO CONSPIRED
TO DENY OTHERS A BETTER CLASS OF
HOME AND NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT
THE LAZY ACCOMMODATION OF THE
MODERN WHEEL.
>> LAST SPEAKER? AND THAT WILL
CONCLUDE THE ONLINE SPEAKERS.
PRESS *6, DAVE.
>> AN ACTIVE WITH QUALITY OF
LIFE AND HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS ISSUES IN OUR CITY.
I SUPPORT AND REINFORCE THAT IT
IS TRULY A FALSE CHOICE TO
ASSUME THAT TREES AND DENSITY
CANNOT COEXIST. THERE ARE MANY
PROVEN PLANNING CONCEPTS THAT
COUNTER THIS FALSE CHOICE. AND
MOREOVER, IF OUR CONCERN IS THE
CLIMATE, NOTHING CAN BE WORSE
THAN TO ACCOMMODATE OUR GROWING
POPULATION BY AVOIDING DENSITY.
AND OF COURSE, THERE IS THE
EXISTENTIAL CRISIS OF HOUSING
AND HOMELESSNESS IN OUR CITY,
ACKNOWLEDGED BY MOST OF THE
CRITICAL ISSUE IN SEATTLE. WE
SIMPLY MUST INVEST IN THE MOST
EFFICACIOUS STRATEGIES FOR
ADDRESSING HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS, NAMELY INCREASING
THE SUPPLY AND DENSITY OF
HOUSING. THIS REPRESENTS A RARE
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ADDRESS
THIS EXISTENTIAL CRISIS OF
HOUSING AND CLIMATE. THANK YOU.
>> NOW WE WILL GO BACK TO OUR
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. WE HAVE
MARY, LILY PARKER.
THAT IS ONE NAME, BUT MARY LILY
PARKER, IF YOU ARE UP .
>> I AM MARYELLEN FLANAGAN AND
I'M FROM MAPLE LEAF AND I'M
HERE TO TALK ABOUT TREES. I
ATTENDED A WORKSHOP PUT ON BY
THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL. THEY WANT
TO KNOW WHERE MAPLE LEAF STANDS
ON ZONING. THEY IDENTIFIED SIX
AREAS OF INTEREST THROUGH
PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS. THEY WERE
AFFORDABILITY, TREES, WALK
ABILITY, PARKING, TRANSIT, SMALL
BUSINESS AND AESTHETICS. WE WERE
AT EACH ASKED TO RANK THE AREAS
FAR AND AWAY THE TOP PRIORITY
WAS TREES. I SUSPECT YOU WOULD
GET SOMEWHERE SIMILAR RESULTS IN
OTHER PARTS OF SEATTLE. IT IS
TIME TO STEP UP AND LISTEN TO
WHAT OUR CITIZENS VALUE.
REVISE THE TREE ORDINANCE,
PARTICULARLY REGARDING
CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES.
REVISIT PROPERTY SETBACKS AND
PROPOSED SETBACKS LEAVE NO ROOM
FOR SAVING TREES.
STEP UP AND TAKE LEADERSHIP .
SEATTLEITES CARE ABOUT TREES IN
THIS TIME OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
THANK YOU.
>>> NEXT UP WE HAVE LILY
FOLLOWED BY PARKER.
>> THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS LILY HAYWARD SPEAKING
ON BEHALF OF THE 2500 MEMBERS OF
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN
SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY CONTINUES TO BE A
RISING CONCERN FOR MANY
SEATTLEITES. THE LATEST INDEX
POLL RELEASED THIS WEEK SHOWS
61% OF VOTERS BELIEVE GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN POSITIVE
FOR THEIR AREA AND 66% BELIEVE
BUILDING MORE HOUSING WILL SLOW
DOWN SEATTLE'S INCREASED
HOUSING COST AND 74% BELIEVE THE
CITY NEEDS TO STREAMLINE
PERMITTING TO BUILD NEW HOUSING
CREATING MORE ONEROUS
REQUIREMENTS AROUND TREE
PROTECTION WOULD WORK AGAINST
THOSE NEEDS. TREES NOTE NEED TO
BE PITTED AGAINST HOUSING.
PRESERVING AND ADDING TO THE
TREE CANOPY IS ESSENTIAL TO THE
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND SO IS
BUILDING MORE HOUSING. THESE
GOALS ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
AND WE SUPPORT POLICIES THAT
INCENTIVIZE TREE PRODUCTION
DEVELOPMENT SUCH AS ADDING
ADDITIONAL FLOOR AREA ALLOWANCES
OR DEPARTURES FROM PARKING
ALLOWANCES. THIS IS
FUNDAMENTALLY GOOD FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT AND WE ASK THAT --
>> THANK YOU, LILY. NEXT UP WE
HAVE PARKER DAWSON FOLLOWED BY
ALEXANDER, JASMINE AND ROBERT.
AND JUST SO MY COLLEAGUES CHECK
IN, WE HAVE 11 MORE SPEAKERS IN
PERSON.
>> REALLY QUICK, DID SOMEBODY
LEAVE THEIR GLASSES? OKAY.
SORRY. I SUPPOSE I WILL START
JUST BY ENDORSING THE
CHARACTERIZATION, IT IS
WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL OF YOU
PHENOMENAL PUBLIC SERVANTS AND
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK TODAY. I WANTED TO TOUCH
ON STATISTICS THAT SDCI
PUBLISHES SINCE 2023. KEEPING
TRACK OF AND MODERATING THE
PERFORMANCE OF THE CURRENT TREE
ORDINANCE. FOR THE TIER 2 AND
TIER 1 TREES, SINCE 2023,
WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF
CONSTRUCTION, 625 OF THOSE TREES
HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND IN THEIR
PLACE HAS BEEN PLANTED 1409 NEW
TREES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT TREE
ACTIVITY WITH CONSTRUCTION,
THOSE NUMBERS ARE 180 REMOVED
WITH 3137 NEW TREES PLANTED. I
AM LEFT WITH TWO QUESTIONS,
ASKING FIRST, ARE TREES AND
HOUSING MUTUALLY USE IT? IT DOES
NOT LOOK LIKE IT. AND SECOND ,
WHAT THE IMPACT OF THESE NEW
TREE PLANTINGS WILL BE ON OUR
CANOPY IN 15 YEARS AND I THINK
WE HAVE AN EXCITING FUTURE
AHEAD. I HOPE YOU KEEP THESE
FACTS IN MIND AND I APPRECIATE
YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> NEXT WE HAVE ALEXANDER,
JASMINE AND ROBERT. WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M HERE
TO TALK ABOUT EQUITY AND ABOUT
CLIMATE. SO MY WIFE WORKS FOR
PUGET SOUND INSTITUTE DOWN IN
TACOMA AND THEY ARE DOING
RESEARCH RECENTLY WHICH FOUND
THAT PARTICULATE RUNOFF FROM
VEHICLE TIRES IS ALMOST -- IT IS
INCREDIBLY TOXIC TO THE SALMON.
AND IN FACT, THERE IS LITTLE WE
CAN DO ABOUT THIS OTHER THAN
SHORTENING COMMUTE TIMES AND
MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO
LIVE NEAR THEIR DAILY ERRANDS
AND JOBS. AND FOR THAT REASON, I
THINK DENSITY IS READY MUCH THE
ONLY THING THAT WE CAN DO TO
PROTECT THE SALMON HABITATS.
BUILDING MORE TREES DOES NOT
HELP OR KEEPING THE TREES DOES
NOT HELP. THIS IS THE ONLY THING
WE CAN DO BUT I ALSO WANT TO
TALK ALSO ABOUT TREE COVER. WE
ALL LOVE TREES HERE, AND HAVING
TREES IN THE KING COUNTY METRO
AREA IS OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.
BUT WHEN WE DON'T BUILD DENTS
WE END UP PUTTING TREES DOWN IN
ISSAQUAH AND LINWOOD. SO WHY
SHOULD THOSE RESIDENTS HAVE TO
SUFFER FROM US NOT BUILDING?
>> THANK YOU, ALEXANDER. NEXT WE
HAVE JASMINE SMITH FOLLOWED BY
ROBERT REID AND THEN SUSAN.
>> HELLO, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
JASMINE SMITH AND I'M WITH THE
COMMUNITIES COALITION. THE CITY
HAS PLANTED 22,000 TREES IN TWO
YEARS AND THIS IS HUGE AND IT
NEEDS TO CONTINUE. BUT IT
NEEDN'T, AT THE EXPENSE OF
HOUSING OUR NEIGHBORS. WITH
INCENTIVES AND FLEXIBILITY
ENTERTAINING AND ADDING TREES
WITHOUT LOSING OUT ON
DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY WITH
EXTENDING INCREASED HOUSING
BEYOND JUST THE TRANSIT
ARTERIALS TO THE SHEDS AROUND
THEM AND BY REPLACING PARKING
WITH TREES. THERE ARE REAL WAYS
THAT WE CAN KEEP ADDING TREES
WITHOUT LOSING OUT ON HOUSING.
IF WE DON'T, WE DON'T JUST
LOSE OUT ON HOMES FOR NEIGHBORS,
WHICH IS THE NUMBER ONE REASON
WE SHOULD BE CARING ABOUT THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. WE LOSE OUT
ON TREES OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN
GROWTH BOUNDARY, AND BUILD TALL,
NOT SPRAWL.
>> NEXT WE HAVE ROBERT FOLLOWED
BY SUSAN, DAVID --
HELLO, ROBERT.
>> HELLO, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU
FOR LETTING ME SPEAK AND THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE. I JUST HAD
A COUPLE THINGS, HAVE ANY OF YOU
EVER READ THIS BOOK ? ESCAPING
THE HOUSING TRAP , THE STRONG
TOWNS RESPONSE TO THE HOUSING
CRISIS. IT WILL GET YOU UPSET,
BUT THE LAST THIRD OF IT IS VERY
INSPIRATIONAL AND VERY
APPROPRIATE FOR THIS TIME. THE
SECOND THING I WANT TO SAY IS,
THE GREEN FACTOR SCORE. I KEEP
HEARING IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, THAT
IT CANNOT WORK AND YOU CANNOT
BUILD WITH THAT. I LIVE IN A
ZERO. 01 LANDSCAPE AND ACROSS
THE STREET THERE ARE FIVE OTHER
HOUSES THAT ALL HAVE 1.0 OR
GREATER GREEN FACTOR SCORES. IT
CAN HAPPEN AND IT CAN BE DONE.
THEY ARE ALL OVER SEATTLE.
THANKS, YOU GUYS.
>> HELLO, SUSAN, DAVID AND
DEBBIE.
>> YES, THANK YOU FOR HEARING
ME. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF
INVOICES HERE AND A LOT OF
COMPETING NEEDS AND A LOT OF
GOOD COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN
MADE. I AM HERE FOR SEVERAL
REASONS, AND FIRST IS THAT I AM
AN ASTHMATIC AND I HAVE TO USE
CORTICOSTEROIDS TWICE A DAY. I
USED TO LIVE NORTH ABOUT --
NORTH OF UNIVERSITY VILLAGE
ABOUT SIX BLOCKS AND IF YOU KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THAT AREA, YOU
KNOW HOW DENTS IT HAS BECOME AND
SO I MOVED OUT ABOUT SEVEN OR
EIGHT YEARS AGO TO DISTRICT 5
AND I WANT TO THANK KATHY MOORE
BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN TERRIFIC
AND RESPONSIVE FOR US. I HAD MY
ASTHMA KEPT INCREASING, BUT I
KNOW SINCE I MOVED OUT WHERE
THERE ARE SO MANY TREES AND SO
FORTH, MY ASTHMA HAS IMPROVED
QUITE A BIT AND I GUESS --
BREATHE. THANK YOU.
>> AND YOU CAN SEND YOUR
COMMENTS TO THE COUNCIL. WE
APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON . I AM A
SEATTLE RESIDENT.
IT IS STATED THAT 141 TIER 2
TREES WERE REMOVED ON PROPERTIES
UNDER CONSTRUCTION. WHAT THEY
WON'T TELL YOU IS THAT IN 20
24/2000 TREES WERE CUT DOWN IN
SEATTLE AND YEAR TO DATE TREES
ARE BEING CUT DOWN AT SUCH A
RATE ALMOST 4900 TREES , 4900
TREES WILL BE REMOVED IN 2025.
THIS IS BASED ON DATA RIGHT HERE
AND I WILL SUBMIT IT TO RECORD.
HOW CAN WE GROW OUR TREE CANOPY
TO 30% WHEN WE ARE CUTTING DOWN
WILL TELL STORIES ABOUT PLANTING
SMALL TREES BUT DOES LITTLE TO
OFFSET THE IMPACT OF CUTTING
DOWN 5000 TREES. DON'T TELL US
THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE
TREE ORDINANCE BUT STOP THE
CARNAGE AND FIX THE TREE
ORDINANCE IN THE INTERIM
LEGISLATION .
>> NEXT WE HAVE MEGAN AND
DEBBIE.
>> I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF
OF THE TREES THAT NO LONGER HAVE
A VOICE. THESE ARE -- I HAVE A
NUMBER OF COLOR COPIES, THESE
WERE THE TREES THAT WERE NOT IN
THE WAY OF HOUSING. THEY HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH DENSITY OR
AFFORDABILITY. THEY WERE
PERIMETER TREES AND THEY WERE
REMOVED FOR A PARKING SPOT, A
DRIVEWAY. THEY WERE PARTIALLY --
IN ONE CASE I WILL TALK ABOUT
EVEN PERSONALLY ON A NEIGHBOR'S
LOT. DAVE JUST MENTIONED
WE ARE ON TRACK TO LOSE 4900
TREES AND IF WE KEPT AT THE RATE
WE HAVE GONE SO FAR THIS YEAR.
THERE ARE TWO TREES THAT WILL BE
FALLING WITHIN THE WEEK IF
SOMETHING DOES NOT HAPPEN. AND
IF YOU KNOW ABOUT THE GREEN LAKE
SEQUOIA YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW
ABOUT THE LOG CABIN TREE THAT IS
ON THE PERIMETER. IN FACT, WE
THINK IT --
>> YOU CAN LEAVE IT , THANK YOU.
YOU ARE FINE. YOU ARE
PASSIONATE, YOU ARE GOOD, NO
WORRIES. I HAVE SEEN WORSE. NO,
YOU ARE GOOD. YOU CAN PUT IT IN
THE BOX. YOU ARE GOOD.
PERFECT, I APPRECIATE YOU. IS
DEBBIE HERE? THANK YOU.
>> HI, MY NAME IS DEBBIE AND I
AM A HOMEOWNER IN MAPLE LEAF AND
WAS A FOUR YEAR HOMEOWNER IN
WALLINGFORD BEFORE THAT. I HAVE
TWO DAUGHTERS, NEITHER OF WHOM
WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE ,
LIKE MOST OF THE YOUNGER
GENERATION. SO I AM PASSIONATE
ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE HOUSING
AND I'M ALSO INVOLVED IN MY
CHURCH'S EFFORT TO SUPPORT TENT
CITY THREE. I SEE THE PROBLEMS
IN VERY HUMAN TERMS. AT THE SAME
TIME I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE OF
THE HERITAGE, THE BIG TREES, AND
I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE A VERY
CHALLENGING JOB AHEAD OF YOU,
TRYING TO BALANCE ALL OF THE
DIFFERENT NEEDS. BUT I THINK
THAT YOU CAN DO IT, AND YOU CAN
DO IT WITH HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
AND TREES. THANKS.
>> THANKS, DEBBIE. NEXT WE HAVE
RUTH FOLLOWED BY ESMERALDA,
CHRIS, AND THEN SUSAN . THOSE
ARE THE LAST IN PERSON THE
SPEAKERS.
, ON UP. RUTH? IS RUTH HERE? SHE
IS.
FOLLOWED BY ESMERALDA, CHRIS,
AND THEN SUSAN WHITEHEAD.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME
SPEAK . I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT
HB 1110. I TOO HAVE ATTACHED A
CHECKLIST WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
COMMERCE THAT SHOWS THE CITY
DOES NOT HAVE TO CHANGE HEIGHT
SETBACKS , IT IS NOT REQUIRED
UNDER THE LAW. WHILE THE
ORDINANCE IS ADVISORY, NOT
MANDATORY. I ALSO WANT TO NOTE
THAT THE ECO-NORTHWEST STUDY
FOUND THAT THERE WAS PLENTY OF
FEASIBLY DEVELOPABLE LAND TO
BUILD MIDDLE FAMILY HOUSING BUT
THE DEMAND WAS NOT THERE. THE
MIDDLE HOUSING AND ADJACENT
JURISDICTIONS WOULD TAKE AWAY
SOME OF THAT DEMAND. WE WELCOME
MIDDLE FAMILY HOUSING AND WE
KNOW IT IS FEASIBLE TO BUILD AND
IT CAN BE MADE TO FIT IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS. WE ARE CONCERNED
ABOUT THE FRONT YARD SETBACKS
WHICH ARE PART OF THE URBAN
GREENWAYS.
THAT IS IT. THANK YOU.
>> WE HAVE ESMERALDA FOLLOWED BY
CHRIS AND THEN SUSAN.
>> HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME?
HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I AM AN
INTERN WITH FUTURE WISE AND I
LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE.
WE NEED TREES AND HOUSING
TOGETHER. STACKED FLATS AND MORE
HOUSING WITHIN A FIVE MINUTE
WALK OF TRANSIT. ALSO, WE NEED
MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR BUILDERS TO
RETAIN TREES WITHOUT REDUCING
THE AMOUNT OF HOUSING UNITS. IF
WE DON'T MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR
THERE TO BE MORE HOUSING
AVAILABLE , MORE OF OUR
NEIGHBORS WILL BE DISPLACED
BECAUSE WE ALREADY CANNOT AFFORD
THE HOUSING PRICES. AND THE
PRICES WILL CONTINUE TO
INCREASE. THANK YOU. THAT IS IT.
>> CHRIS AND THEN SUSAN. HELLO,
CHRIS, FOLLOWED BY SUSAN
WHITEHEAD .
>> MY NAME IS CHRIS AND I'M A
LONG-TERM RESIDENT AND I RENT.
OUR STREET ON SUMMIT AVENUE EAST
IS A TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT
YOU CAN BE IN ONE OF THE DENSEST
WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS AND BE
COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY TREES.
IT IS COMMON TO RUN INTO
NEIGHBORS WHILE OUT WALKING THE
DOG OR OUT THERE GARDENING ON
WEEKENDS. SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW
IF SDOT IS GOOD WITH IT BUT THEY
FIX OF THE ROUNDABOUTS AND MAKE
THEM LOOK GOOD AS WELL. IT IS
QUITE IDYLLIC , ESPECIALLY WHEN
EVERYTHING IS IN BLOOM THIS
SPRING. REACHING THE 1220
HOUSING TARGETS AND TREE CANOPY
OR NOT IS MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE AND
WE CAN COUNT ON MORE PEOPLE
MOVING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS
THAT SHARE THE COST OF THAT
INFRASTRUCTURE WITH EVERYONE
ELSE AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT AT A TIME WHEN THERE
ARE FEWER PEOPLE LIVING IN EACH
UNIT. IT MAKES IT MORE POSSIBLE
FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO HAVE
TREES AND SIDEWALKS FOR THOSE
WHO DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THEM
WHICH ADDS TO EVERYONE'S
PROPERTY VALUES. WE HAVE AN
EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE THE STREETS MORE WALKABLE
AND MAKE GOOD ON --
>> THANK YOU, CHRIS. NEXT WE
HAVE SUZANNE .
THIS IS OUR LAST PUBLIC COMMENT
SPEAKER.
>> I AM SUSIE WHITEHEAD AND I
LIVE IN GASWORKS PARK SPEAK TOD
SO I DON'T HAVE A LINEAR
ARGUMENT, BUT YOU HAVE HEARD
MOST OF THEM. I WILL JUST ♪ OUT
A FEW THINGS . I THINK THAT FOR
EVERY ONE PERSON WHO SPOKE ON
BEHALF OF THE TREES, THERE ARE
SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO EITHER
HAD NOT MADE IT HERE, OR ARE
TOTALLY UNAWARE OF HOW
UNPROTECTED OUR TREES ARE. WHEN
I MENTIONED THAT THEY ARE
HORRIFIED AND THEY DON'T
BELIEVE IT. THEY MUST PROTECT
THE TREES, THEY DO NOT BELIEVE
IT AND I WILL SAY FOR ALL THE
OTHER TREES THAT ARE PLANTED, WE
ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A DRAFT
THIS SUMMER. HOW ARE THE TREES
GOING TO LIVE? WILL THEY BE
MAINTAINED AND WATERED? AND FOR
THESE BIG TREES THAT HAVE
MANAGED TO SURVIVE IN THE
CHALLENGING CLIMATE CHANGE
ENVIRONMENT, TO CUT THEM DOWN IS
NOT NECESSARY. BUT TO CUT THEM
DOWN WHEN IT IS NOT NECESSARY IS
A CRIME . AND THE TREES HAVE TO
BE PROTECTED AT THE BEGINNING OF
THE PERMIT PROCESS. IT IS TOO
PRIMITIVE --
>> THANK YOU, SUSIE. THANK YOU
ALL FOR DOING A PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD BEFORE I GIVE MY COMMENTS
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE OUR
GUESTS AND PRESENTERS TO THE
TABLE SO THAT YOU CAN COME .
WILL THE CLERK READ AGENDA ITEM
NUMBER ONE AND THEN I WILL GIVE
MY COMMENTS .
>> AGENDA ITEM 1, ONE SEATTLE
URBAN FORESTRY FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> WHILE PRESENTERS ARE COMING
TO THE TABLE, WE HEARD TREES ARE
IMPORTANT, HOUSING IS IMPORTANT,
WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS , THE
RENT AND COSTS HAVE GONE UP
SIGNIFICANTLY IN SEATTLE AND
SUSTAINABILITY, BETTER JOBS, AND
A VERY PASSIONATE TABLE BAYING
IS WHAT WE HEARD TODAY. I'M
JUST HEARING -- WE APPRECIATE
YOU ARE COMING DOWN AND YOUR
MESSAGES AND EMAILS AS WELL. AND
WE ARE TAKING ALL OF THIS INTO
CONSIDERATION AS WE NAVIGATE
THIS PROCESS. SO PLEASE,
PRESENTERS, PLEASE STATE YOUR
NAME FOR THE RECORD, AND THEN
YOU CAN GO RIGHT INTO YOUR
PRESENTATION.
YOU ARE OKAY.
>> OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
>> LAUREN, OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT.
>> MEGAN NEUMAN, SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTIONS.
>> DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF POLICY FOR
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. AND I WILL
GET US KICKED OFF TODAY BEFORE
WE GO INTO THE FORMAL
PRESENTATION. JUST TABLE SETTING
COMMENTS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
MEMBERS, FOR HAVING US HERE
TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS
IMPORTANT ISSUE, AND THANKS TO
EVERYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WHO
SHOWED UP OR COMMENTED ON LINE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK AND
INPUT AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.
SO I WANT TO START OUT BY SAYING
THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO
BECOME A MORE CLIMATE RESILIENT
CITY IN THE YEARS TO COME.
ESPECIALLY IN THE FACE OF THE
NEXT FOUR YEARS OF INACTION THAT
WE WILL SEE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL
WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING THE
CLIMATE EMERGENCY THAT WE ARE
IN.
A MORE CLIMATE RESILIENT CITY
MEANS THAT WE NEED TO BUILD MORE
HOUSES AND GROW MORE TREES. SO,
IN THE CONTEXT OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE THAT
PART.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ALSO TALK ABOUT THE TREES AND
WHERE TREES FACTOR INTO THIS
VISION OF A CLIMATE RESILIENT
CITY. SO WHEN IT COMES TO TREES,
WE HAVE A COUPLE DIFFERENT
GENERAL APPROACHES THAT WE CAN
TAKE. ONE OF THEM IS REGULATING
TREES ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND
THE OTHER IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
WHAT WE CAN DO ON PUBLIC
PROPERTY, SO WE ARE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT BOTH OF THOSE
STRATEGIES AND WE EMPLOY BOTH AT
THE CITY. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN DIALED IN ON THE PRIVATE
PROPERTY PIECE, ESPECIALLY WHEN
CONSTRUCTION IS INVOLVED. WE
WANT TO FOCUS IN ON THAT ISSUE
AND MAKE SURE WE ARE TAKING THE
BIGGER PICTURE INTO
CONSIDERATION AND ALL THE THINGS
THE CITY IS DOING TO GROW AND
MANAGE ITS TREE CANOPY. AND I
THINK YOU KNOW, BY VIRTUE OF ALL
THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT
WE HAVE BOTH AT THE TABLE AND
DEPARTMENTS THAT WE DID NOT --
THAT ARE NOT SITTING AT THE
TABLE WITH US TODAY, BUT ALSO
PLAY A KEY ROLE, THAT WOULD
INCLUDE SDOT IN THE PARKS
DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAD TO REDUCE
OUR DECK A BIT BECAUSE WE WOULD
HAVE BEEN HERE FOR TOO LONG HAD
WE GONE IN-DEPTH ON ALL OF THESE
THINGS, SO TODAY'S
PRESENTATION, BEAR WITH US, WE
ARE GOING TO START OUT BY GIVING
YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE
ARE DOING ON THE PUBLIC SIDE OF
THINGS, AND THEN WE WILL DO A
DEEPER DIVE INTO THE TREE CODE
AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHER
WAYS IN WHICH TREES FACTOR INTO
BOTH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND
THE LEGISLATION THAT WE WILL BE
SENDING DOWN INCLUDING THE
PERMANENT HB 1110 LEGISLATION
THAT WE WILL BE TRANSMITTING IN
THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS HERE.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO TURN IT
OVER TO STAFF AND YOUR
PREFERENCE , WE DON'T MIND IF
YOU WANT TO INTERJECT.
>> THANK YOU. YEAH, WE WILL ASK
ABOUT THE PRESENTATION. WE WILL
PROBABLY HOLD A COUPLE SLIDES IN
AND THEN I WILL ASK PEOPLE IF
THEY HAVE ANY BASTIONS AND THEN
WE WILL GO, SO THANK YOU.
>> SO OUR PRESENTATION TODAY
WILL BE AN OVERVIEW OF
SEATTLE'S URBAN FORESTS. WE
WILL TALK ABOUT THE CITYWIDE
APPROACH TO MANAGING THE URBAN
FOREST ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
LAND AND THE ONE SEATTLE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND WE WILL
TOUCH ON SOME NEW AND UPCOMING
EFFORTS AND THINGS WE ARE
LEADING INTO IN ORDER TO GROW
OUR FORESTS. WE WILL START WITH
THE SEATTLE VISION, THE CITYWIDE
VISION. AS WE HEARD WITH MANY OF
THE COMMENTS TODAY, A HEALTHY
THRIVING SEATTLE NEEDS MORE
HOUSING AND MORE TREES THEN WE
CAN ACHIEVE BOTH. PART OF THIS
VISION IS ACHIEVING OUR GOAL OF
AT LEAST 30% CANOPY COVERAGE
THAT IS EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED
ACROSS THE CITY. SO THAT ALL
NEIGHBORHOODS, STARTING WITH
THOSE MOST HARMED BY
ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUITIES HAVE
ACCESS TO TREES AND THE BENEFITS
THEY PROVIDE.
SO THIS SLIDE IS FOCUSING IN ON
SEATTLE'S URBAN FORESTS. WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE URBAN FORESTS
AND ALL THE TREES IN THE CITY
BOUNDARIES. OUR URBAN FOREST IS
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND
ESSENTIAL TO THE HEALTH AND
LIVABILITY OF SEATTLE
NEIGHBORHOODS. TREES ARE KEY
TOOLS TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE CREATE
SHADE TO PROTECT US FROM URBAN
HEAT AND THE CLEAN OUR AIR AND
STORM WATER. TREES ARE ALSO PART
OF SEATTLE'S IDENTITY AS THE
EMERALD CITY. THEY KEEP US
ROOTED IN OUR RELATIONSHIP TO
THIS PLACE AND TO EACH OTHER.
ENTRIES ARE AN INVESTMENT THAT
WE CAN MAKE THAT WILL ONLY
INCREASE THEIR VALUE OVER TIME.
NOW OUR URBAN FORESTS COVER BOTH
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LAND AND AS A
CITY OUR ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITY FOR URBAN FOREST
MANAGEMENT -- I GUESS THAT DID
NOT WORK. AND AS A CITY, OUR
ROLE IN URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT
THEORIES ACROSS THESE LAND-USE
TYPES. WE WILL START WITH CITY
PROPERTY AND PLACES LIKE PARKS
AND NATURAL AREAS. AND THESE ARE
WHERE THE URBAN FOREST IS OWNED,
MANAGED AND MAINTAINED BY THE
CITY. NEXT WE WILL GO TO PRIVATE
TREES. THOSE ARE LIKE YARD TREES
AND THERE, THE ROLE OF THE CITY
IS TO DEVELOP REGULATIONS AND
PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO SUPPORT
RESIDENTS AND LANDHOLDERS IN
MANAGING TREES ON THEIR OWN
PROPERTY AND THEN FINALLY WE
HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OR THE
STREET TREES AND THIS PROPERTY
IS OWNED AND MANAGED BY THE CITY
BUT THOSE TREES ARE MAINTAINED
COOPERATIVELY WITH RESIDENTS, SO
IF THE CITY PLANTS A STREET
TREE, THE CITY WILL TAKE CARE OF
IT THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE AND IF
THE RESIDENT FINDS THE TREE, THE
RESIDENT WILL THEN BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THAT
TREE.
AND IN THE CITY WE TAKE AN
INTEGRATED APPROACH TO URBAN
FOREST MANAGEMENT. SO, OUR URBAN
FORESTS ARE CONNECTED WITH THE
WORK OF MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
THERE ARE SEVEN CORE DEPARTMENTS
LISTED UP HERE THAT WORK CLOSELY
TOGETHER UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF
TREES FOR SEATTLE. EACH
DEPARTMENT HAS RULES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES SPECIFIC TO THE
MANDATES AND SERVICES OF THAT
DEPARTMENT. FOR OSC, WE WORK TO
COOPEROUR VISION AND
GOALS FOR MANAGING THE URBAN
FORESTS.
MISSING SOME SLIDES BUT THAT IS
OKAY. OKAY, SO EVERY FIVE YEARS
THE CITY DOES CANOPY ASSESSMENT
AND THE LAST ASSESSMENT WAS
CONDUCTED DID IN 2021 AND FROM
THAT WE KNOW THAT MOST SEATTLE
CANOPY IS LOCATED IN THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY AND IN THE
DEVELOPED PARKS AND IN
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
SO 23% IS IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY
AND 19 PERCENT IS IN PARKS,
NATURAL AREAS AND DEVELOPED
PARKS AND THEN 47% IS IN
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
AND OTHER KEY IMPORTANT FACTORS
WHEN WE ARE MANAGING THE URBAN
FOREST IS UNDERSTANDING THE
CHALLENGES THAT CITY TREES FACE,
AND KNOWING THAT THE REASONS FOR
TREE LOSS ARE OFTEN COMPLEX. THE
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE,
INFRASTRUCTURE, DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS, COMPETING BUDGETS AND
MAINTENANCE COSTS AND PESTS AND
DISEASE WHICH ARE ISSUES THAT
ARE EXACERBATED IN THE CLIMATE
CHANGE, THESE ARE ALL CRITICAL
FACT IS, THEY ARE ALL CRITICAL
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HOW THE
CANOPY CHANGES OVER TIME. SO
NEXT IN THIS PRESENTATION WE
WILL FOCUS ON WHAT WE ARE DOING
AS A CITY TO GROW THE URBAN
FORESTS ON BOTH PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE LAND.
SO WE WILL START WITH PUBLIC
LAND.
AND HERE AGAIN, WE ARE THE LAND
OWNER, SO WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR PLANTING, MANAGING AND
MAINTAINING THESE TREES. AND THE
CITY LAND IS A KEY OPPORTUNITY
AREA TO GROW THE URBAN FORESTS.
PARKS AND RIGHT AWAY ALONE MAKE
UP 42% OF SEATTLE'S CANOPY AS
OF THE LAST ASSESSMENT AND
EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THE
BENEFITS OF THESE TREES. A
RIGHT-OF-WAY CONNECTS THROUGHOUT
THE CITY AND 99% OF RESIDENTS
LIVE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO
THE PARK. WE CAN MANAGE OUR
PUBLIC LANDS TO PROVIDE ALL
COMMUNITIES ACCESS TO THE URBAN
FOREST AND THE BENEFITS IT
PROVIDES. AND AS A CITY WE GROW
THOUSANDS OF TREES EVERY YEAR.
IN 2003 AND 2004 ALONE , THE
CITY DEPARTMENTS PLANTED AROUND
4700 TREES, AND THE GREEN
SEATTLE PARTNERSHIP PLANTED
AROUND 18,000 TREES IN PARKS AND
NATURAL AREAS. AND THE MAYOR'S
2003 SEATTLE TREE PLAN REQUIRES
THAT FOR EVERY TREE HEALTHY SITE
APPROPRIATE TREE REMOVED, THREE
ARE PLANTED ON PUBLIC LAND. SO
WE ARE PLANTING TREES AND MAKING
SURE THE URBAN FOREST IS
GROWING. PLANTING TREES IS JUST
THE FIRST STEP IN THE PROCESS.
THOSE TREES NEED TO BE
MAINTAINED AND CARED FOR,
ESPECIALLY FOR THE FIRST FIVE
YEARS. OUR EXECUTIVE ORDER ALSO
REQUIRES FIVE YEARS OF
ESTABLISHMENT CARE FOR ALL TREES
THAT ARE PLANTED, WHICH IS
WATERING AND MULCHING THE TREES
PLANTED ON PUBLIC LAND SO THAT
THEY CAN SURVIVE TO BECOME
MATURE TREES. AND THEN MATURE
TREE CARE IS ALSO ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL FOR GROWING THE URBAN
FOREST. WE HAVE PHENOMENAL CITY
STAFF THAT MANAGE OUR URBAN
FOREST AND MANAGE FOR PESTS AND
DISEASE AND DO THE PRUNING AND
CARE FOR THE TREES TO MAKE SURE
THEY STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND
THEN ALSO REDUCE CONFLICTS WITH
UTILITIES AND OTHER
INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND WE PARTNER WITH RESIDENTS TO
PLANT AND CARE FOR TREES ON
PUBLIC SPACES. THE CITIES AND
COMMUNITIES WORK TOGETHER TO
GROW SEATTLE'S URBAN FOREST.
OKAY. THANK YOU. ALSO SOMETHING
ELSE WE DO, IS WE DO
COORDINATION AND PLANNING FOR
MULTIPLE BENEFITS, SO WE ARE
DEEPENING OUR ORDINATION AND
COLLABORATION ACROSS AND WITHIN
DEPARTMENTS TO SET HOLISTIC
PRIORITIES AND TO OPTIMIZE
PUBLIC SPACES TO MEET TREE
CANOPY. IN THE PICTURE ON THE
RIGHT IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF
MANY. IT IS A SEATTLE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECT WHERE
THEY ARE ABLE TO CREATE
ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS . IT IS ADA
COMPLIANT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME
PROTECTING AND INCREASING THE
GROWING SPACE FOR THE TREES AND
THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
AND WE PARTNER WITH THE
RESIDENTS TO PLANT AND CARE FOR
TREES IN THE PUBLIC SPACES AND
HERE ARE TWO EXAMPLES. THE
PICTURE ON THE LEFT IS THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY. AS I MENTIONED,
THE CITY MANAGES RIGHT-OF-WAY
TREES COOPERATIVELY WITH THE
PUBLIC . SO WE HAVE ABOUT ONE
QUARTER MILLION TREES IN SEATTLE
AND OVER 75% ARE PLANTED AND
MAINTAINED BY THE PUBLIC, AND
THEN SDOT PERMITS AND PROVIDES
GUIDANCE. AND THOSE TREES ARE
CARED FOR OVERTIME.
ADDITIONALLY, THE GREEN SEATTLE
PARTNERSHIP IS A LONG-STANDING
MODEL OF COMMUNITY DRIVEN
TREEPLANTING AND FOREST
STEWARDSHIP IN THE NATURAL
AREAS. IT IS A PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP TO CARE FOR
SEATTLE'S PARKLANDS AND THERE
IS VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES THAT
ARE COMMUNITY LED AND COMMUNITY
CENTERED ALMOST EVERY DAY OF THE
YEAR TO . TREES IN THE NATURAL
AREAS.
SO NEXT , THAT SUMS UP OUR FOCUS
ON WORK TO GROW THE URBAN
FORESTS ON PUBLIC LAND IN NEXT
WE WILL FOCUS ON PUBLIC
PROPERTY.
>> THIS THE PERFECT TIME TO
PAUSE AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE HAS A
WESTERN.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION SO FAR. JUST SOME
LESSONS ABOUT THAT, SO YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC
LAND BEING ON THE RIGHT-OF-WAY
AND ALSO IN NATURAL SPACES. SO
HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THE ISSUE
THAT RIGHT-OF-WAY ALSO PRESENTS
ITS OWN ISSUES AROUND MINSK ? SO
WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF EMAILS
ABOUT BEACON AVENUE IN THE
BEACON HILL URBAN VILLAGE AND
SDOT WANTING TO CUT DOWN ALL OF
THOSE TREES BECAUSE YOU KNOW,
THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH
ROOTS IN THEIR HAVING PROBLEMS
WITH DRAINAGE. I APPRECIATE THE
IDEA OF WANTING TO PUT TREES IN
THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, BUT THAT TOO
COMES WITH ISSUES. SO TO SAY
THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS A
SOLUTION I THINK IS A LITTLE BIT
PROBLEMATIC. BUT HOW DO YOU DEAL
WITH THE CHALLENGES OF
MAINTAINING TREE CANOPY AND
RIGHT-OF-WAY? IN THE OTHER
QUESTION I HAVE, YOU SAY THAT
EVERYBODY IS 10 MINUTES WALKING
DISTANCE FROM A PARK , NOT
EVERYBODY IS MOBILE, AND I
DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN
NECESSARILY GET THE BENEFIT OF A
TREE BY IT BEING IN A PARK.
SOMETIMES THE BENEFIT IS THAT
YOU ARE STANDING OUTSIDE YOUR
APARTMENT BUILDING OR YOUR HOUSE
WHEN IT IS 90 DEGREES AND YOU
ARE GETTING SOME RELIEF FROM THE
HEAT. YOU HAVE THE BENEFIT OF
LOOKING OUT A WINDOW AND SEEING
A TREE THAT YOU MIGHT NOT SEE IN
THE PARK. HOW DO YOU ADDRESS
THOSE PARTICULAR ISSUES?
>> I THINK THE FIRST QUESTION IS
ABOUT RISK OF TREES IN THE RIGHT
OF WAY. IS THAT RIGHT? AND LIKE
WHETHER THAT IS A SUSTAINABLE
PLACE TO GROW OUR CANOPY.
>> HOW TRULY SUSTAINABLE IS
RIGHT-OF-WAY?
>> TRYING TO GIVE AN ANSWER. I
WOULD SAY THAT DURING PROJECTS
ALL TREES ARE STAMPED AS LIKE
ANYWAY, TREES ARE PROTECTED
DURING RIGHT-OF-WAY PROJECTS AND
JUST BECAUSE THE TREE HAS A
NOTICE, MOST OF THEM WILL NEVER
BE REMOVED. THE ONLY HAVE A
NOTICE IN CASE IT SHOWS THEY ARE
A SAFETY RISK AND THEY MAY NEED
TO BE REMOVED, SO THAT IS AN
IMPORTANT THING TO UNDERSTAND
WHEN FOLKS ARE TALKING ABOUT
NOTICES ON TREES AND THE RIGHT
OF WAY. ALSO LIKE THE PICTURE WE
SAW, THERE ARE A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH
COORDINATION AND CAREFUL
PLANNING TO -- YEAH, YOU CAN SEE
RIGHT HERE, THERE IS A NEED TO
BUILD NEW SIDEWALK , A NEW ADA
ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALK AND THE
ABILITY TO CREATE ADEQUATE
GROWING SPACE TO SUPPORT THESE
LARGE TREES SO THAT THEY CAN
GROW HEALTHY OVER TIME. SO IT
REALLY IS THAT TYPE OF HOLISTIC
IMPLEMENTATION THAT IS ONE PATH
THAT WE CAN USE TO GROW TREES IN
THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. THERE ARE
SDOT
HAS WORKED WITH COMMUNITIES AND
NEIGHBORS TO COME UP WITH
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO MAINTAIN
LARGE TREES IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
THERE IS A STREET CALLED DALLAS
AVENUE IN SOUTHPARK AND SDOT DID
INCREDIBLE WORK WORKING WITH THE
COMMUNITY. THEY WERE CONCERNED
ABOUT LOSING THESE BIG BEAUTIFUL
MAPLE TREES ALONG THE ROADWAY,
AND THEY NEEDED TO CREATE AN OT
ZONE AND GAVE UP A FEW PARKING
SPACES AND THE NEIGHBORS AGREED
TO DO THIS BECAUSE THEY
PRIORITIZE TREES AND THEY WERE
ABLE TO MEET THESE MULTIPLE
MANDATES. SO IT REQUIRES WORKING
WITH COMMUNITY AND IT REQUIRES
CAREFUL AND THOUGHTFUL PLANNING,
BUT IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE
GIVEN THIS PROJECT AND OTHER
PROJECTS I HAVE SEEN ON THE
GROUND. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY AS A KEY PLACE FOR
THE URBAN FOREST CANOPY. I THINK
THAT YOUR OTHER QUESTION WAS
ABOUT THE PARKS AND ACCESS TO
THE PARKS. AND WE ARE REALLY
FORTUNATE AS A CITY THAT WE DO
HAVE PARKS WITHIN WALKING
DISTANCE AND IT IS IMPORTANT
THAT ACCESS TO THOSE PARKS IS
ACCESSIBLE TO ALL. AND I WILL
AGREE WITH THAT AND WE CAN SEE
THE PARKS AS A PLACE WHERE WE
CAN GROW THE CANOPY AS WELL AND
A GOOD PLACE TO HAVE THOSE BIG
BEAUTIFUL LARGE TREES.
>> THE OTHER PART OF YOUR
QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER, HAS TO
DO WITH LIKE PARKS IN AND OF
ITSELF AND THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IN
AND OF ITSELF IS INSUFFICIENT
AND WE WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. WE
ARE SIMPLY TRYING TO YOU KNOW,
PRESENT A FULLER PICTURE OF WHAT
COMPRISES THE URBAN FOREST HERE
IN SEATTLE AND UNDERSTANDING
THAT PEOPLE REALLY ARE IN THIS
CONTEXT, DIALED IN ON THE
PRIVATE PROPERTY SIDE. BUT WE
WANTED TO START OFF THE
CONVERSATION BY TALKING ABOUT
ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED
TO DO AND BE CONCERNED ABOUT IN
ORDER TO HAVE A HEALTHY URBAN
FOREST IN SEATTLE.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT AND I
SUPPORT YOU KNOW, INCREASING
RIGHT-OF-WAY IN PARKS AND I
THINK THAT WE HAVE STUDIES THAT
SHOW A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
TREE LOSS THAT OCCURRED IN THE
NATURAL AREAS. SO I JUST WANT TO
BE SURE THOUGH THAT WE ARE NOT
PRESENTING THAT AS THE ONLY
ISSUE, RIGHT? AND THAT THERE
NEEDS TO BE A REAL COMMITMENT,
AND I THINK YOU TALKED ABOUT
THIS PROGRAM , THE GREEN SEATTLE
PARTNERSHIP . JUST YOU KNOW,
MAKING SURE, BECAUSE -- THAT
THERE ARE RESOURCES AND THE
ATTENTION AND THE INTENT ARE
DEDICATED TO MAKING RIGHT-OF-WAY
AND NATURAL AREAS TRULY A VIABLE
OPTION.
>> THINKING ABOUT THAT AS WE ARE
PLANNING TOO , SO THAT WE DON'T
GET INTO THE POSITION OF HAVING
TO CUT DOWN ALL THE TREES THAT
HAVE BEEN PLANTED AND WORKING
WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPERS AND YOU
KNOW, I STORED A PLACE WHERE
SDOT TOLD THEM THEY HAD TO TAKE
DOWN 14 TREES BUT IN RETROSPECT
THEY DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE DOWN
ANY OF THOSE TREES. SO JUST
BEING REALLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT
TRYING TO PRESERVE TREES IN
THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND GETTING
ALL OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS. I
KNOW YOU MENTIONED SDOT WORKING
WITH NEIGHBORS ON A PARTICULAR
PROCESS AND THAT OUGHT TO BE
FRONT AND CENTER IN HOW WE
CREATIVELY KEEP TREES AND
INCREASE TREES AS A RARITY FOR
ALL DEPARTMENTS YOU KNOW, IN
YOUR CIRCLE HERE OF EVERYONE WHO
HAS RESPONSIBILITY.
>> I SEE COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
FOLLOWED BY A COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. I APPRECIATE YOUR
PRESENTATION THUS FAR. ONE
QUESTION I HAD, I MIGHT HAVE
MISSED IT WHEN YOU WERE ON SLIDE
SIX, IT IS A GREAT GRAPHIC , BUT
AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE SO
MANY PIECES INVOLVED IN SO MANY
DEPARTMENTS IN THE IDEA THAT IF
EVERYONE IS IN CHARGE NO ONE IS
IN CHARGE. NOW I SEE THE OFFICE
OF SUSTAINABILITY AND
ENVIRONMENT AT THE TOP OF THIS
GRAPHIC . CAN YOU SPEAK TO THEIR
ROLE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN TERMS OF --
ARE YOU DRIVING THESE PIECES?
ARE YOU DRIVING SDOT TO DO ITS
PIECES OR PARKS, WHICH I WILL
BRING UP IN A SEPARATE QUESTION.
AND THEN OF COURSE, NOT DEPICTED
HERE IS THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR.
SO I NICE THAT POINT TOO, BUT
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT?
>> SO IN OSC WE CONSIDER
OURSELVES COLLABORATIVE LEADERS.
SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH ALL
THESE DEPARTMENTS, UNDERSTANDING
LIKE UNDERSTANDING THEIR
MANDATES AND NEEDS AND KNITTING
TOGETHER AN OVERALL STRATEGY AND
VISION TO GROW THE FORESTS. SO
THAT IS REALLY OUR ROLE. AND WE
HAVE A STRUCTURE, A WORKING
STRUCTURE ACROSS DEPARTMENT SO
WE HAVE THE URBAN FORESTRY CORE
TEAM. WE HAVE URBAN FORESTRY
LEADS FROM ALL THE DEPARTMENTS
THAT COME TOGETHER TO ORDINATE
AND IMPLEMENT THE FOREST
MANAGEMENT PLAN AND OSC CONVENES
THAT WORK . THAT IS JUST ONE
THING THAT WE DO TO KNIT
TOGETHER THIS OVERALL STRATEGY.
>> OKAY. AND BY THE WAY,
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE INTERIM
DIRECTOR, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE
DEPUTY MAYOR FARRELL AT THE
ADDITIONAL LEVEL AND SHOULD BE
HOPEFULLY ARRIVING RECONCILING
ANY CHALLENGES. AND I BRING THIS
UP BECAUSE IN COMMUNITY I HAVE
OFTEN HEARD ABOUT THE CITY
ARBORISTS. THERE ARE SOME HERE
AND THERE AND THAT IS LIKE AN
EXAMPLE OF LIKE HOW IS THE
ARBORIST PROGRAM DOING? AND WHAT
CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE IT?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION AND
I WOULD LOVE TO GIVE YOU A MORE
DETAILED RESPONSE TO THAT. I
WOULD SAY THAT THE WAY I
HONESTLY THINK ABOUT IT, WE HAVE
URBAN FORESTRY SUPERHEROES
EMBEDDED IN EACH ONE OF OUR
DEPARTMENTS, THOSE WHO KNOW THE
WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT INSIDE
AND OUT AND THEY KNOW TREES
INSIDE AND OUT. SO THAT IS AN
INTEGRATED STRUCTURE THAT
BENEFITS OUR WORK IN MANY WAYS.
THAT IS HOW I THINK ABOUT IT.
>> IT IS FAIR TO SAY THOUGH,
FROM WHERE I SIT, IT IS AN
ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW
TO BETTER ORDINATE AND INTEGRATE
THIS WORK, AND SO WE ARE
CONSTANTLY, I THINK , ASKING
OURSELVES HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE APPROACHING THIS
WORK BOTH EFFECTIVELY AND
EFFICIENTLY?
>> BY THE WAY, THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU CAN TAKE
THE TREE ORDINANCE, FOR EXAMPLE.
TRUST ME, I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO I KNOW AND RESPECT WHO ARE
110% INTO THE TREE ORDINANCE BUT
I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I
KNOW WHO ARE SUPER SMART AND I
RESPECT WHO ARE LIKE IT IS THE
WORST THING EVER. AND IT IS LIKE
WE NEED THIS KIND OF DATA TO
BASICALLY LAY OUT THE GROUND
TRUTH, IF YOU WILL . SO YES, SO
THAT KIND OF GOES TO WHAT SHE
WAS SAYING. MY NEXT QUESTION
QUICKLY ON SLIDE FIVE, ONE OF
THE THINGS I SAY ON A REGULAR
BASIS AND I'M THE DISTRICT 7
GUY, SO I'M DOWNTOWN AND WE
HAVE A LOT OF TREES IN THE
NORTHERN PART OF THE DISTRICT,
THE DOWNTOWN ON THE WATERFRONT,
IT STRIKES ME THAT THE THING
THAT MAKES SEATTLE DIFFERENT, IN
MY MIND, WHICH MAKES IT
ATTRACTIVE TO COME BACK OR TO
VISIT, IS THE UNIQUENESS OF IT
AND THE EVERGREEN TREES. AND SO
WHEN I SEE SLIDE FIVE WITH ALL
THESE DECIDUOUS TREES, YOU
MENTIONED, SOMEONE MENTIONED
EMERALD CITY. IF WE'RE GOING TO
BE THE EMERALD CITY, THAT MEANS
365, AND YOU KNOW, THAT IS WHAT
MAKES US UNIQUE AND CAN YOU
SPEAK TO THE PRIORITIZATION OF
TREES AND YOU KNOW, OUR NATIVE
TREES AND PARTICULARLY THE EVER
MEANS?
>> YEAH, WE ALSO LIKE LARGE EVER
DREAM TREES AND WE WANT TO PLANT
THEM AND GROW THEM AS MUCH AS WE
CAN BECAUSE THEY DO PROVIDE A
GREAT BENEFIT. THIS PICTURE IS
NOT A SEATTLE FOCUSED PICTURE.
IT IS A PICTURE I BORROWED FROM
COLLEAGUES ON THE EAST COAST. SO
THIS IS NOT MEANT TO REPRESENT
OUR VISION FOR SEATTLE, JUST TO
BE CLEAR. AND YOU KNOW, NATIVE
TREES HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE
IN OUR FOREST AND WHEN WE ARE
PLANTING TREES IN THE NATURAL
AREAS AND PARKS IT IS ALMOST ALL
NATIVE TREES, RIGHT? BUT WE ALSO
MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A
DIVERSITY OF TREE SPECIES AND
THAT WE HAVE CLIMATE RESILIENT
SPECIES. SO THOSE ARE THE
FACTORS WE THINK ABOUT. WE THINK
ABOUT WHERE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE ARE FOCUSED ON NATIVE TREES
THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND ALSO
LACES WHERE WE REALLY WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SPECIES
DIVERSITY AND CLIMATE
RESILIENCE, BECAUSE I MENTIONED
TEST AND DISEASE. THEY ARE NOT A
LITTLE ISSUE IN CITIES, THEY ARE
A BIG ISSUE FOR URBAN FOREST
HEALTH AND SURVIVORSHIP. AND
WHEN YOU HAVE A DIVERSITY OF
SPECIES, YOU ARE MORE RESILIENT
TO PESTS AND DISEASE. THOSE ARE
THE FACTORS WE THINK ABOUT WHEN
WE ARE DOING TREE SELECTION.
>> AND I SPEAK TO THAT, I SPEAK
TO THE EVERGREENS AND I RISE
THAT WITH CLIMATE CHANGE WE WILL
HAVE TO GO TO HEINZ FROM OREGON
OR SOMETHING BUT THE OTHER THING
IS THE NATIVE COMMUNITY. I
WANTED TO SAY WE SHOULD BE
EMBRACING OUR NATIVE COMMUNITY
IN ADDITION TO THE EVERGREEN
TREES. ON SLIDE EIGHT, THE COST
OF TREE ESTABLISHMENT
MAINTENANCE AND THIS IS KEY. AND
THIS HIGHLIGHTS THE FIRST
QUESTION. IN QUEEN ANNE
BOULEVARD PARK, THAT IS LIKE AN
ASSET NOT JUST FOR DISTRICT 7
BUT THE ENTIRE CITY. AND IT IS
AT THAT CYCLE WHERE THERE ARE
RE-PLANTINGS AND THEY DEFINITELY
NEED THAT THREE-YEAR HEADSTART
WATERING PLAN TO BE AN EFFECTIVE
WATERING PLAN, BUT THAT IS
ACTUALLY OVERSEEN BY PARKS AS
OPPOSED TO SDOT , SO THAT IS AN
EXAMPLE OF THAT AND AGAIN, OSC,
YOUR ROLE AS FAR AS ENSURING YOU
MAKE THESE PLANS AND THERE IS A
HUGE PLAN ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.
I FORGET EXACTLY, BUT IF WE DO
ALL THAT AND THEN IN YEAR FIVE
THEY ARE ALL DEAD, THAT IS A
MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. AND I CAN SAY
THAT THERE IS RIGHT-OF-WAY THAT
IS MANAGED BY PARKS AND PARKS
HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB IN
THE LAST FEW YEARS IN BUILDING
OUT THE TREEPLANTING STAFF AND
COMMITTING TO THAT FIVE YEARS
WATERING OF ALL PLANTED TREES.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PARKS IS
ON TOP OF AND TAKING CARE OF.
AND THAT IS FAIRLY NEW AS OF THE
LAST FEW YEARS THAT IS
STANDARDIZED.
>> GOOD. I KNOW THEY ARE
LISTENING AND WATCHING . AND
LAST QUESTION OR ACTUAL
STATEMENT.
'S NECK YOU'RE NOT SORRY.
>> SLIDE 10, CITY LANDS AND SO
FORTH. I MENTIONED MY DISTRICT
AND THEN THE SOUTHERN PART , WE
NEED TO HAVE THIS COMMUNITY
ACCESS. YOU KNOW, ONE COMMUNITY
THAT IS NOT HAVE ANY ACCESS? L
TOWN. I WILL SAY THAT THEY HAVE
THESE ACCESS BUT IT IS
EVENTUALLY BUILT DOWN, SO WE
NEED THE PRESS AND THIS IS
PARTLY FOR THE PORTAL PARK AS I
LIKE TO CALL IT UNTIL WE GET A
BETTER NAME. BUT I JUST WANT TO
PUT THAT PLUG AND I'M SURE THAT
THE DEPUTY MAYOR ARE WELL AWARE
OF PORTAL PARK AND WILL BE
CHAMPIONING IT WITHIN THIS
ECOSYSTEM TWISTING HER ARM AND
THE REST OF THE MAYORS TEAM TO
MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS IN A SMOOTH
QUICK FASHION.
NO NEED TO RESPOND.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION, I APPRECIATE IT. I
WAS REMARKING ON THE SIDE A
MOMENT AGO WITH MY DISTINGUISHED
DATA AGUE FROM BALLARD, AND
GEEKS AND WE WERE KIND OF NOTING
OUT ABOUT SOME OF THE DATA
REFLECTED THERE ON SLIDE SEVEN
THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE 27% OF THE
CITY IS IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY AND
THEN 23% OF THE TOTAL CITY
CANOPY OR TREE CANOPY IN THE
CITY IS IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY AS
WELL. AND AS CHAIR OF THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, THIS
IS A CHALLENGE THAT I HAVE BEEN
THINKING ABOUT AS WELL. AND I
APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER MORE
FOR RAISING IT. I GO THE
SENTIMENTS THAT SHE EXPRESSED
WITH RESPECT TO THAT. IT IS , ON
THE ONE HAND I DEFINITELY
RECOGNIZE THAT THE RIGHT-OF-WAY
IS AN APPROPRIATE PLACE TO PLANT
TREES AND BUILD OUR TREE CANOPY.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I DO THINK
THAT WE NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL
ABOUT THAT FOR TWO REASONS.
COUNCILMEMBER MORE DID A GREAT
JOB OF ACCURATELY DESCRIBING THE
FIRST REASON. AND THAT IS THAT
THERE ARE ASSOCIATED COSTS ,
NONTRIVIAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH
MAINTAINING THESE TREE CANOPIES
IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS. AND
IF I AM RECALLING CORRECTLY FROM
BACK LAST FALL ON THE BUDGET, I
THINK I SAW TRENDS WHICH MAKES
SENSE YEAR OVER YEAR, THE BUDGET
SUMMARY LEVELS OR WHATEVER
THEY'RE CALLED, THERE IS A LINE
ITEM IN SDOT'S BUDGET FOR THIS,
AS YOU KNOW. I THINK YEAR OVER
YEAR WE HAVE SEEN THAT ROW AND
WE WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO SEE IT
GROW. WHAT CONCERNS ME OR WHAT
WORRIES ME IS, THE PROSPECT OF
TRANSFORMING WHAT IS PRINCIPALLY
AN ENGINEERING ORGANIZATION,
SDOT WITH A BUNCH OF SMART
TRAFFIC ENGINEERS, TRANSFORMING
THEM INTO AN ARBORIST
ORGANIZATION. LIKE ARBORISTS ARE
GREAT, BUT -- AND SIMILARLY,
HAVING, GETTING TO A POINT,
GETTING TO A STATE WHERE OUR
ONGOING ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COSTS
FOR MAINTAINING THE TREE CANOPY
ALONE IN THE SHRUBBERY ALONE
ECLIPSES OUR ABILITY -- WHAT WE
SPEND TO REPAIR THE SICK
POTHOLES. SO THAT KIND OF
THINKING SOME OF THIS THROUGH,
IT DOES CONCERN ME. AND THEN THE
SECOND DIMENSION IS, THINKING
ALL OF THIS THROUGH EVEN FURTHER
WHEN YOU PLANT TREES IN A
SPECIFIC LOCATION , IT
NECESSARILY AND UNDERSTANDABLY
LOCKS YOU IN TO A SPECIFIC
DESIGN FOR A LONG TIME. AND THAT
LIMITS OUR FREEDOM TO OPERATE ,
AND IT REMOVES ANY FLEXIBILITY,
SENSE OF FLEXIBILITY OR AGILITY
THAT WE NEED AS A CITY, BECAUSE
DESIGN AND SAFETY STANDARDS AND
ENGINEERING STANDARDS AND BEST
PRACTICES OF TODAY ARE NOT WHAT
THEY LOOK LIKE 10 YEARS AGO OR
20 YEARS AGO. IT WILL NOT LOOK
THE SAME 10 OR 20 YEARS, AND SO
WHEN YOU PLANT A LOT OF TREES IN
THE RIGHT-OF-WAY AND FULLY
LEVERAGE THAT SPACE , AGAIN, IT
LIMITS OUR FLEXIBILITY TO
ACCOMMODATE NEW MODES OF TRAVEL
AND TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND MAKE
THE MOST BENEFICIAL USE OF OUR
ROADS THAT WORK FOR ALL. AND SO
YOU KNOW, THESE TWO COMPETING
CONCERNS ARE THINGS I HAVE BEEN
THINK ABOUT. SO THANK YOU AGAIN,
COUNCILMEMBER MORE FOR RAISING
THEM. AGAIN, I DIRECT NICE IT IS
AN APPROPRIATE AND NEEDED PLACE
TO GROW TREES, BUT WE NEED TO BE
THOUGHTFUL ALSO FOR THOSE TWO
REASONS THAT I MENTIONED. BUT MY
QUESTION IS, HOW DO YOU, AND
THANK YOU FOR THE ANECDOTE ABOUT
KIND OF HOW SDOT HAS PREVIOUSLY
LED ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY
OUTREACH IN THIS EFFORT WITH
RESPECT TO THE RIGHT OF WAYS.
CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT HOW
YOUR OFFICE WORKS AND SDOT IS
PROBABLY THE LEAD DEPARTMENT,
BUT HOW DO YOU, HOW DOES YOUR
OFFICE WORK WITH SDOT TO EXAMINE
NEW TREE CANOPY GROWTH
OPPORTUNITIES AND HOW DO YOU
BALANCE THOSE , THOSE DISPARATE
NEEDS?
>> YEAH, I CAN ANSWER THAT
QUESTION SPEAKING TO OSC'S WORK
AND ROLE IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, SO
SDOT, YOU ARE RIGHT, IT IS A
LEAD IN RIGHT-OF-WAY MANAGEMENT.
AND ALSO, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTAL MANDATES AND NEEDS
INTERSECT IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY,
OR SOLID WASTE GOES IN THE RIGHT
OF WAY AND UTILITY
INFRASTRUCTURE SOMETIMES GOES IN
THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
ELECTRIFICATION INFRASTRUCTURE,
BIKE PARKING. THE RIGHT-OF-WAY
HOLDS MANY DIFFERENT, AND
SOMETIMES CONFLICT BEING
MANDATES AND NEEDS, AND SO
OSC'S ROLE IN THAT WORK IS TO
COORDINATE DEPARTMENTS. WE HAD A
RECENT WORKSHOP WHERE WE BROUGHT
DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND THOSE MANDATES AND
NEEDS AND TO COME TO A MORE
HOLISTIC VISION AND CONSIDERATE
PLANNING MOVING FORWARD. SO THAT
IS ONE OF THE ROLES THAT OSC
PLAYS IN THAT SPACE.
TO THIS WORK? AND RELATIVE TO
SDOT'S IN THIS CONTEXT?
>> SDOT IS YOU KNOW, WE PLAY A
ROLE IN FACILITATING
INTERDEPARTMENTAL CONVERSATIONS
WHEN THERE ARE MULTIPLE NEEDS
INTERSECTING IN THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY. WE PLAY THAT
COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP ROLE TO
BRING IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND
WE HAD A REALLY GREAT WORKSHOP
THAT STARTED WITH UNDERSTANDING
ALL THE DIFFERENT MANDATES AND
NEEDS IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY AND
MAPPING IT OUT. WE ACTUALLY HAD
AN ARTIST, AND MAP IT OUT SO
THAT WE COULD ALL SEE TOGETHER
WHAT ALL THOSE CONFLICTING
MANDATES AND NEEDS LOOK LIKE,
AND THEN BEGIN TO COME UP WITH
MORE HOLISTIC SOLUTIONS. DOES
THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> YES. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE
YOUR RESPONSES, THE CONVERSATION
SO FAR AND HIGHLIGHTING
EFFECTIVELY BALANCING
TRADE-OFFS.
THANK YOU.
>> AND COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, WE
ARE AT SLIDE NINE OF 32 AND I
WILL ASK THAT YOU HOLD THAT
QUESTION FOR THE NEXT PIECE.
WILL DO THE NEXT SEGMENT, AND
THEN COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, YOU
WILL BE THE FIRST ONE THAT WE
CALL ON. THINK, SIR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO NOW
MOVING FORWARD WITH THE
PRESENTATION. WE ARE GOING TO
FOCUS ON THE CITY'S ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITY AND GROWING THE
URBAN FOREST ON PRIVATE
PROPERTY. AND AS I MENTIONED, WE
HAVE THE ROLE OF DEVELOPING
REGULATIONS AND INCENTIVES TO
SUPPORT RESIDENTS AND PRIVATE
LANDOWNERS IN PLANTING AND
GROWING TREES ON THEIR PROPERTY.
AND HERE -- NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND SO HERE, AS STATED, WE CAN
GROW THE CANOPY AND ADDRESS THE
HOUSING CRISIS BY PRESERVING
EXISTING TREES WHERE POSSIBLE
AND DEVELOPING REGULATIONS AND
INCENTIVES TO SUPPORT
TREEPLANTING AND REPLACEMENT OF
TREES WHEN PRESERVATION IS NOT
POSSIBLE. AND THIS PICTURE IS
JUST ONE EXAMPLE. IT IS THE HIGH
POINT REDEVELOPMENT. JUST TO
ILLUSTRATE AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE
THERE IS INCREASED DENSITY AND
TREES.
AND I WILL HAND THE NEXT SLIDES
OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, MEGAN
NEUMAN FROM SDCI.
>> SDCI CONNECTS TO OUR CITY'S
URBAN CANOPY THROUGH THE
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK. WHAT I
MEAN BY THAT IS THE CODES THAT
APPLY TO TREES ON PRIVATE
PROPERTY . THERE ARE THREE MAIN
BRANCHES OF THE REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK , THE TREE CODE BEING
JUST ONE PART OF IT AND IT IS AN
IMPORTANT PART. SO THE FIRST
BRANCH OF THE REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK IS THE TREE PROTECTION
AND REPLACEMENT COMPONENT. THE
TREE CODE AS WELL AS THE
ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL AREAS
CODE ARE PART OF THAT AND
PROHIBIT REMOVAL OF TREES ON
PRIVATE PROPERTY UNLESS REMOVAL
IS EXPLICITLY STATED IN THE CODE
AND ALLOWED. IN THOSE LIMITED
INSTANCES WHEN REMOVAL IS
ALLOWED, REPLACEMENT OR PAYMENT
IN LIEU OF PLANTING IS TYPICALLY
REQUIRED. THE NEXT BRANCH OF OUR
FRAMEWORK ARE THE ZONING
PROVISIONS OF THE LAND USE CODE
AND THOSE STANDARDS REQUIRE
TREES TO BE PLANTED OR PRESERVED
WHEN CERTAIN CONSTRUCTION
ACTIVITIES ARE HAPPENING ON A
LOT. WE HAVE TREE TRACKING DATA
FROM JULY OF 2023 THROUGH
FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR THAT SHOWS
OVER 2400 TREES WERE PLANTED ON
PRIVATE PROPERTY ON LOTS THAT
WERE UNDERGOING REDEVELOPMENT.
THE THIRD BRANCH OF OUR
FRAMEWORK IS AROUND COMPLIANCE.
SDCI IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
RESPONDING TO CALLS RESPONSIBLE
FOR POSSIBLE CODE VIOLATIONS
INCLUDING ILLEGAL TREE CUTTING
AND ENFORCING OUR ABILITY TO
COLLECT SIGNIFICANT PENALTIES
FOR ILLEGAL TREE WORK.
WE ALSO REGULATE WHO CAN DO
COMMERCIAL TREE WORK ON PRIVATE
PROPERTY THROUGH THE PROVIDER
REGISTRY. AND WE PUBLISH A MAP
OF TREE PUBLIC NOTICES WHICH HAS
PROVIDED MUCH VISIBILITY TO THE
COMMUNITY OF TREE ACTIVITY
AROUND THE CITY.
SINCE THE TREE PRODUCTION
ORDINANCE WENT INTO EFFECT ,
SDCI HAS COLLECTED ALMOST $1
MILLION IN PENALTIES FOR
VIOLATIONS OF THE CODE .
SO LET'S TAKE A QUICK MINUTE TO
LOOK AT THE JOURNEY THAT WE HAVE
TRAVELED TO GET TO OUR CURRENT
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK . THE TREE
PROTECTION ORDINANCE WAS 20
YEARS IN THE MAKING. IN 2009 THE
CITY PUT INTERIM TREE
REGULATIONS IN PLACE AND SINCE
THEN THE PROCESS HAS EXPERIENCED
MANY STARTS AND STOPS, INCLUDING
AT LEAST TWO DRAFTS CONSIDERED
BY COUNCIL BUT NEVER CAME TO
FRUITION AND SEVERAL APPEALS,
BOTH BY HOMEBUILDERS AND TREE
ADVOCATES, AND FINALLY IN 2023
THE COUNCIL ADOPTED OUR CURRENT
REGULATIONS.
THAT LONG PROCESS RESULTED IN
SEVERAL CHANGES TO THE
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AND I WILL
HIGHLIGHT A FEW ON THE SLIDE FOR
YOU TODAY. FROM A PROTECTION AND
REPLACEMENT STANDPOINT, SMALLER
TREES ARE NOW PROTECTED AND MUST
BE REPLACED IF REMOVED AND
PAYMENT IN LIEU OF PLANTING IS
NOW AN OPTION TO MITIGATE TREE
REMOVAL. THERE ARE MORE
PREDICTABLE STANDARDS FOR TREE
RETENTION IN LOWRISE ZONE. AND
FROM A TREEPLANTING PERSPECTIVE,
STREET TREE
AN HOUR ZONES WHERE THEY WERE
NOT PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF THE
ORDINANCE. AND FOR THE
COMPLIANCE BRANCH OF THE
FRAMEWORK, PENALTIES WERE
INCREASED 50% FOR ILLEGAL
REMOVAL OF TREES. I HOPE THAT
THESE HIGHLIGHTS SHOW THE HARD
WORK ENSURING THAT WENT INTO THE
2023 TREE PROTECTION ORDINANCE
AND RECOGNIZING THAT WAS ADOPTED
NOT TOO LONG AGO, LESS THAN TWO
YEARS AGO.
OKAY, AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE
TO PROVIDE A DEEPER DIVE INTO
THE REGULATIONS IN THE TREE CODE
, WHICH AS I MENTIONED, IS A
MAIN COMPONENT OF THE PROTECTION
AND REPLACEMENT PART OF THE
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK . WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF LOCATIONS WITHIN
SOME ACAS, THE TREE CODE APPLIES
BROADLY TO PRIVATE PROPERTY IN
SEATTLE. AND FOR EASE OF TALKING
ABOUT REGULATED TREES, AND THERE
IS A KEY AT THE TOP OF THE
SLIDE, THE CODE GROUPS TREES
GENERALLY BY SIZE INTO FOUR
TIERS. TIER 1 IS HERITAGE AND
224 INCHES OR GREATER, AND
SMALLER TREES AS DESIGNATED BY
RULE AS WELL AS TREE GROWTHS AND
TIER 3 ARE BETWEEN 12 AND 24
INCHES AND TIER 4 ARE THE
SMALLEST GROUP OF REGULATED
TREES BETWEEN SIX AND 12 INCHES.
SO LET'S REMEMBER THAT OUR TREE
CODE PROTECTS TREES ON PRIVATE
PROPERTY UNLESS THE CODE ALLOWS
FOR REMOVAL . I WILL GO INTO A
LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE
REMOVAL OF ALLOWANCES IN THE
CODE. THERE ARE CERTAIN TREES
THAT ARE SIMPLY EXEMPT FROM THE
PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS IN THE
CODE. THESE ARE TREES THAT DO
NOT REALLY SERVE OUR URBAN
CANOPY DUE TO DISEASE,
INFESTATION, HAZARDOUS
CONDITIONS AND TREES THAT FALL
INTO THIS EXEMPT CATEGORY ARE
ABLE TO BE REMOVED AND REPLACED
WITH PREVIEW BY SDCI AND THIS
CAN APPLY WITH OR WITHOUT A
CONSTRUCTION PERMIT AND THEN
THERE ARE TREES THAT THE CODE
ALLOWS TO BE REMOVED IN CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES. WITH
CONSTRUCTION, TIER 3 AND TIER
FOUR TREES, REMEMBER, THOSE ARE
THE SMALLER BUCKETS REGULATED BY
THE ORDINANCE. THOSE MAY BE
REMOVED OR RETAINED AT THE
APPLICANTS OPTION DURING
CONSTRUCTION. REMOVAL OF TIER 2
TREES IN LR ZONES MUST MEET
CRITERIA THAT IS IDENTIFIED IN
THE CODE.
THE CRITERIA DIFFER BETWEEN THE
ZONES BUT GENERALLY RELATE TO
HOW THE BASIC TREE PROTECTION
AREA AROUND THE TREE INTERSECTS
WITH THE DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY AT
THE LOT.
LASTLY, WHEN THERE ARE NO ACTIVE
CONSTRUCTION PERMITS THE CODE
ALLOWS PROPERTY OWNERS TO REMOVE
A LIMITED NUMBER OF TREES IN A
DESIGNATED PERIOD OF TIME. THE
2023 PROTECTION ORDINANCE
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE NUMBER
AND SIZE OF TREES THAT COULD BE
REMOVED WITHOUT SDCI REVIEW,
RESULTING IN 1000 MORE REGULATED
TREES ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND OF COURSE, WHEN THE CODE
ALLOWS REMOVAL, REPLACEMENT IS
TYPICALLY REQUIRED. THE CODE
STANDARDS FOR REPLACEMENT TREES
IS TO ACHIEVE A CANOPY AND
MATURITY THAT IS ROUGHLY
PROPORTIONATE TO THE EXISTING
CANOPY OF THE TREE ALLOWED FOR
REMOVAL. THE NEW TREES MUST BE
NATIVE, CLIMATE RESISTANT, AND
ALSO COME WITH A MAINTENANCE
PLAN TO ENSURE SURVIVAL.
AND APPLICANT CAN CHOOSE TO
MITIGATE REMOVAL OF TREES IN
THREE WAYS. THEY CAN CHOOSE TO
PLANT ON THE SAME SITE THAT THE
TREE IS REMOVED, THEY CAN PLANT
ON ANOTHER LOT, OR THEY CAN PAY
IN LIEU OF PLANTING, WHICH FUNDS
PLANTING ON THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF
WAY OR IN PARKS PROPERTY.
THE CODE ALSO OFFERS FLEXIBILITY
TO PROTECT TREES, AND THE SHOW
UP AS MODIFICATIONS TO ZONING
STANDARDS SUCH AS ALLOWING
STRUCTURES TO BE CLOSER TO A
FRONT OR REAR PROPERTY LINE IN
AN HOUR ZONES WHICH COULD MAKE
ROOM FOR PRESERVATION'S OF A
TREE AND A DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
OR IN LR ZONES, UTILIZING
REDUCED SETBACKS FOR FLEXIBILITY
IN THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF
STRUCTURES IN ORDER TO PROTECT
THE TIER 2 TREE THAT WOULD
OTHERWISE BE ALLOWED FOR
REMOVAL.
IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT OF THE
MANY TREES IN SEATTLE, ONLY 141
OF THE LARGER TREES IN THE TIER
2 CATEGORY HAVE BEEN REMOVED
WITH CONSTRUCTION SINCE THE
ORDINANCE WENT TO AFFECT.
LOOKING AT THE SAME TIME FRAME
THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, JULY
2023 THROUGH FEBRUARY OF THIS
YEAR , APPROXIMATELY 660 TIER 2
TREES WERE RETAINED DURING THE
PROCESS AND THEY WERE RETAINED
EITHER BECAUSE THEY WERE FAR AND
AWAY FROM CONSTRUCTION, BECAUSE
AND APPLICANT CHOSE TO RETAIN,
OR BECAUSE THE CODE REQUIRED IT.
OVERALL WE ARE SEEING MORE TREES
PLANTED THEN REMOVED ACROSS THE
BOARD. AND IN THAT SAME TIME
FRAME, SINCE THE TREE PRODUCTION
ORDINANCE WENT INTO EFFECT
ALMOST 10,000 HOUSING UNITS HAVE
BEEN APPROVED FOR CONSTRUCTION.
LET'S SHIFT TO THE TREEPLANTING
BRANCH OF THE REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE
LAND USE CODE. WHEN
REDEVELOPMENT OCCURS IN AN HOUR
ZONES THERE ARE REQUIRED TO BE A
CERTAIN NUMBER OF NEW TREES OR
PRESERVATION OF EXISTING TREES
ON A LOT AND ANOTHER ZONES WE
HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT REQUIRES
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LANDSCAPING
ON A LOT DURING CONSTRUCTION.
TREEPLANTING AND PRESERVATION
ARE TWO ATTRACTIVE OPTIONS TO
SATISFY THESE REQUIREMENTS.
ADDITIONALLY, REDEVELOPMENT NOW
REQUIRES NEW STREET TREES TO BE
PLANTED IN ALL ZONES ACROSS THE
CITY.
THESE NEWER PRESERVED TREES
CONTRIBUTE TO GROWING OUR URBAN
CANOPY, ESPECIALLY ON SITES
WHERE THERE ARE NO EXISTING
TREES. AND OF COURSE, IF AN
APPLICANT CHOOSES TO PRESERVE A
TREE TO SATISFY THE ZONING
REQUIREMENTS, THERE ARE
REQUIREMENTS IN THE TREE
PROTECTION CODE ON PROTECTION
MEASURES THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE
TAKEN DURING CONSTRUCTION TO
ENSURE THE VIABILITY OF THE TREE
FOR THE LONG-TERM.
ALL OF THESE REGULATIONS ARE
REVIEWED FOR COMPLIANCE THROUGH
THE PERMITTING PROCESS. THE
DEDICATED AND HARD-WORKING STAFF
CONFIRM THAT MATERIALS MEET THE
CODE REQUIREMENTS. EACH SITE AND
PROPOSAL IS UNIQUE AND SDCI
STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO COACH
APPLICANTS ON REQUIREMENTS
INCLUDING THE TREE CODE
THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS. WE PROVIDE COACHING
THROUGH THE COUNTER SERVICES,
PRE-SUBMITTAL CONFERENCES AND WE
WILL MEET PEOPLE ON SITE AND
AFTER A PERMIT APPLICATION IS
MADE WE BEGIN THE PERMITTING
REVIEW PROCESS AND ULTIMATELY
GRANT APPROVAL OF THE PERMIT
INCLUDING ANY TREE REMOVALS THAT
ARE ALLOWED IN THE CODE AND
PROTECTION MEASURES THAT NEED TO
BE PUT INTO PLACE. FINALLY,
AFTER ISSUANCE OF THE PERMIT,
THE APPLICANT , IF THERE IS TREE
WORK ASSOCIATED WITH THE
PROJECT, MUST COMPLETE A TREE
PUBLIC NOTICE AND THEN WE SHIFT
INTO INSPECTIONS AND THEN
FINALLY PROJECT COMPLETION. SO
BOUNCING HOUSING WITH TREES ON
PRIVATE LAND IS IMPORTANT BUT WE
CANNOT FORGET THAT THIS IS ONLY
ONE SMALL PART TOWARDS REACHING
OUR CANOPY GOALS. I WILL HAND
THIS BACK OVER TO LAUREN TO TELL
YOU ABOUT THEIR EFFORTS BY THE
CITY ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
>> SO I MENTIONED THE OTHER
STRATEGY FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY IS
TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES AND
SUPPORT. SO PRIVATE RESIDENCE
AND LANDHOLDERS CAN PLANT AND
MANAGE TREES ON THEIR OWN
PROPERTY. AND ONE KEY EXAMPLE OF
THAT IS THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITY TREES FOR NEIGHBORHOODS
PROGRAM. TREES FOR NEIGHBORHOODS
WORKS WITH RESIDENTS TO PLANT
1000 TREES PER YEAR INCLUDING
THE RIGHT OF WAY. THE TEAM
PROVIDES FREE TREES, WATERING
BAGS, MULCH, TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE , STREET TREE
PERMITTING, SUMMER WATERING
REMINDERS AND TREE CARE
WORKSHOPS ALL FOUR PARTICIPANTS
IN THE OFFER PLANTING ASSISTANCE
IF RESIDENTS ARE NOT ABLE TO
PLANT THE TREES ON THEIR OWN AND
THEY OVERSEE ALL UTILITY
LOCATING FOR STREET TREES AND
WO TO ISSUE
PERMITS AT NO COST TO
PARTICIPANTS AND TO GIVE ONE
EXAMPLE OF THE SUCCESS OF THIS
PROGRAM, WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING
THE SURVIVORSHIP OF TREES
PLANTED THROUGH TREES FOR
NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH 10 YEARS,
SO FROM 2014 THROUGH 2024, AND
THOSE TREES HAVE HAD AN 88%
SURVIVORSHIP WHICH IS REALLY
GOOD. AND FOR CITY TREES AND ANY
TREE THAT DOES NOT SURVIVE --
THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE OF THE TYPES
OF INCENTIVES.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE
NEXT TOPIC, SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO
PAUSE?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE
COUNCIL MEMBER SOLOMON FOLLOWED
BY COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
CHAIR. THE QUESTION, THERE ARE A
COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE. I
THINK THAT YOU HAVE GOT TO ONE
OF MY PRIMARY QUESTIONS ON SLIDE
19. I HAVE HEARD TALK ABOUT TIER
1 AND TIER 2 TREES. I WANTED TO
EDUCATE MYSELF, WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN? I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT. SO NOW THAT I SEE
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIAMETERS FOR
THE TREES, I'M THINKING ABOUT
WHAT I HAVE IN MY YARD . I KNOW
I HAVE A TIER 1 BECAUSE IT TAKES
UP HALF THE BLOCK IN TERMS OF
ITS CANOPY. SO JUST HAVING THAT
WAS HELPFUL. AND A QUESTION
ABOUT THE ARBORIST. WHERE DO
THEY SIT? OR IS THERE MORE THAN
ONE?
>> WHAT WAS THE QUESTION?
>> OH, WHERE DID THE ARBORIST
SIT? PARKS HAS ARBORISTS AND
SDOT HAS ARBORISTS AND SDCI HAS
ARBORISTS. WE HAVE TREE STAFF,
BUT NO ARBORISTS. GOSH. AND
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT HAS
ARBORISTS. YEAH.
>> THAT IS LEADING TO MY
CONFUSION BECAUSE I'M THINKING
ABOUT DIFFERENT POLITICS AT WORK
IN THE PAST WHERE WE ACTUALLY
NEEDED TREES IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY
TO BE -- TO HAVE SOME
MAINTENANCE. BUT REALLY WAS NOT
SURE OKAY, WHO DO WE TALK TO?
WHO OWNS THOSE PARTICULAR TREES?
AND AGAIN, THAT IS MORE FOR YOU
KNOW, DEFINITELY MY EDUCATION,
MY INFORMATION AND MAYBE SOME OF
THE FOLKS THAT MIGHT BE WATCHING
THIS. IT SEEMS WE HAVE ARDOR US
-- ARBORISTS SPREAD OUT
THROUGHOUT MANY DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS AND IT IS GOING TO
TAKE SOME NAVIGATING TO FIGURE
OUT WHO TO GO TO FOR A
PARTICULAR ISSUE. AND THAT ALSO
YOU KNOW, CAN BE A BARRIER FOR
FOLKS.
>> I HEAR THAT. I'M SURE THAT I
MENTIONED THAT SDOT HAS
ARBORISTS AS WELL. BUT I ALSO
SAY THAT THE COUNCIL ALLOCATED
SOME FUNDING FOR URBAN FORESTRY
TO DO COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND
THAT IS FRONT AND CENTER, THAT
EXACT THING YOU ARE TALKING
ABOUT, COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON,
HELPING THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND
WHAT DEPARTMENTS DO AND WHO TO
CONTACT IS FRONT AND CENTER IN
THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON. WE ALSO
HAVE A TREES FOR SEATTLE CENTRAL
LINE AND FOLKS CAN REACH OUT. I
MENTIONED THAT IS THE UMBRELLA
FOR ALL OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS,
SO FOLKS REACH OUT TREES FOR
SEATTLE AND THAT TEAM WILL HELP
THEM GET ROUTED TO THE RIGHT
PLACE.
>> OKAY, COOL, THANK YOU. A
COUPLE OTHER ONE IS, AND AGAIN,
THIS GETS TO THE ISSUE OF TREES
IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. I KNOW FOR
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, WHEN I
HAD A TREE THAT THE ROOT SYSTEM
YOU KNOW, BASICALLY COMPROMISED
MY DRAINAGE SYSTEM. IT WAS MY
RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF
THAT DAMAGE TO MY HOME AND IT
WAS ALSO MY RESPONSIBILITY TO
TAKE CARE OF THE TREE. AND I
THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF UNFAIR
BECAUSE I DID NOT PLANT THE
TREE, YET I BECAME RESPONSIBLE
FOR REMOVING THE TREE'S THAT
CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY PROPERTY.
AND I BELIEVE, HEARING FROM YOU
ALL IN A DIFFERENT PRESENTATION,
THAT THERE IS A FUND THAT CAN
HELP WITH THAT REMEDIATION AND
AT THE SAME TIME I'M GETTING A
LOT OF CONCERN OVER MY BEACON
HILL NEIGHBORS THAT ARE LOOKING
AT THE TREE REMOVAL BETWEEN
McCLELLAN AND SPOKANE BECAUSE
TREE ROOTS HAVE REALLY YOU KNOW,
GUMMED UP THE SIDEWALK AND MADE
IT ADA IMPASSABLE. AND THE
RESPONSES I HAVE SEEN IS THAT ,
FROM WHAT I RECALL, THOSE TREES
WOULD BE REMOVED AND THREE OTHER
TREES WILL BE REPLACED WITH ROOT
SYSTEMS IN A LOCATION THAT IS
NOT GOING TO IMPEDE SIDEWALKS.
SO --
>> COUNCILMEMBER? SINCE THIS IS
THE SECOND TIME IT HAS COME UP I
THOUGHT I SHOULD ADDRESS THAT I
-- MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT AT
LEAST HALF OF THOSE TREES WILL
NO LONGER BE SUBJECT TO REMOVAL
AND THEY ARE CONTINUING TO
EVALUATE WHETHER THEY CAN RETAIN
A FURTHER NUMBER OF TREES
RELATED TO THAT PROJECT.
>> OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. AND THIS IS MORE OF A
TECHNICAL QUESTION. AS WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT SETBACKS AND THE
AMOUNT OF AREA THAT WILL BE
PAVED, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ONE
OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN PRESERVE
TREES IS BY INCREASING THE FAR,
NOT THE LOT COVERAGE AREA BUT
THE FAR ALLOWED PER PARCEL TO GO
UP AS A -- SUPPOSED TO SPREAD
OUT. YOUR OPINIONS ON THAT?
>> YEAH, I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON
THE CONTEXT AND THE ZONE. IN
CERTAIN ZONES IT IS HARDER TO GO
UP AND IN OTHERS IT IS EASY,
ESPECIALLY IN THE COMMERCIAL
ZONES AND THE LOWRISE ZONES ,
ADDING A STORY IS EASY AND
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONES
WE WILL BE TALK A LOT WITH
LEGISLATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES
TO GET MORE. BUT WE HAVE ALSO
ENCOUNTERED A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT ADDING THE FOUR
STORY FOR EXAMPLE IN THE
RESIDENTIAL ZONE. I THINK IT IS
A GREAT IDEA AND WE CAN TALK
MORE BUT THERE CAN BE TRADE-OFFS
WITH WHAT THE CONTEXT IS.
>> CURING THE COMMENTARY TODAY,
I AM ALSO OF THE MIND THAT IT IS
NOT A WESTERN OF HOUSING OR
TREES. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AN
EITHER OR. AND IT SEEMS ONE OF
THE WAYS YOU CAN IS TO GO
HIGHER.
SO, THAT IS ALL THE COMMENTS I
HAVE FOR NOW. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SOLOMON. I SEE COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
FOR THIS. I KNOW WE ARE AT 4:06
AND I HAVE A SLEW OF QUESTIONS,
SO I'M GOING TO BE RESPECTFUL
OF MY COLLEAGUES TIME AND REALLY
JUST MAKE MY POINTS. SO I GUESS
JUST OVERALL, THE FIRST POINT IS
THAT I THINK FRANKLY, THIS HAS
BEEN A TRADE AS A ZERO-SUM GAME
AND IT IS NOT A ZERO-SUM GAME.
AND PEOPLE WHO ARE SITTING OUT
HERE WHO ARE ARE DOING FOR TREES
ARE NOT HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE
TRYING TO WEAPON EYES THE TREE
ORDINANCE TO PREVENT DEVELOPMENT
FROM HAPPENING. YOU KNOW, MAYBE
ONE OR TWO, BUT OVERALL THAT IS
NOT WHAT IS GOING ON. THESE ARE
PEOPLE THAT RECOGNIZE THAT TREES
ARE PART OF OUR CLIMATE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEY ARE
ESSENTIAL TO THE HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING OF EVERYBODY WHO
LIVES IN THIS CITY. AND IT IS
DISINGENUOUS I THINK TO TALK
ABOUT YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T
BUILD DENSITY THEN WE ARE GOING
TO SPRAWL. WE ARE CONSTRAINED BY
THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT. IF WE
DON'T HAVE DENSITY AND SEATTLE
WE WILL NOT SPRAWL OUT BECAUSE
WE ARE CONSTRAINED BY STATE
LAW.THAT IS A RED HEARING,
FRANKLY.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT
THAT I THINK THE ISSUE AND I
ALSO THINK THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE
WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN SOLD A BILL
OF GOODS AND I THINK THAT THANK
YOU FOR THE SLY , BUT WHEN IT
CONCLUDES THAT THE OV
THE CITY'S
URBAN CANOPY GOALS, I THINK THAT
IS A DISINGENUOUS REPRESENTATION
ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE
TREE ORDINANCE. AND I THINK
THAT, AND I HAVE SAID THIS
BEFORE, AT THE TREE ORDINANCE
CAN BE DIVIDED INTO SECTIONS.
THERE IS THE PART ABOUT WHAT WE
ARE DOING ON THE PUBLIC LANDS,
AND I THINK WHAT WE HAVE HEARD
HERE TODAY DEMONSTRATES THAT
THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD WORK
BEING DONE THERE AND A LOT OF
PRESERVATION HAPPENING AND THE
INTENT TO DO SO. WE HAVE ALSO
RAISED ISSUES ABOUT YOU KNOW,
HOW DOES THAT WORK WITH THE SORT
OF TENSION BETWEEN THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY AND THESE
TRANSPORTATION AND THE DESIGN,
AND I WILL ALSO POINT OUT,
PLANTING TREES IS EXPENSIVE. WE
SPENT A LOT OF MONEY AT HIGH
POINT ON TREES, I THINK IT IS
$3000 PER TREE. SO, THERE IS THE
PUBLIC PEACE, AND THEN THERE IS
THE PIECE ABOUT PRIVATE
DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT IS WHERE I
THINK WE NEED TO BE HONEST ABOUT
WHERE THE TREE ORDINANCE IS NOT
WORKING. AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I HAVE REALLY APPRECIATED
ABOUT THIS COUNCIL IS THAT WE
CAME TO OFFICE SAYING THINGS ARE
NOT WORKING IN THE CITY AND FOR
TOO LONG WE HAVE NOT HAD THE
COURAGE TO SAY WHAT HAS NOT BEEN
WORKING, PARTICULARLY IN THE
PUBLIC SAFETY AREA AND WE WILL
NOT VIEW THAT AS A WEAKNESS, BUT
FOR SOME REASON, WE HAVE NOT
GOTTEN TO THAT POINT IN TREES.
AND SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE WHERE THE TREE
ORDINANCE IS NOT MEETING ITS
GOAL TO INCREASE TREE CANOPY AND
TO BE HONEST ABOUT THAT AND TO
PUT ON -- ALL OF US ARE VERY
SMART AND WE HAVE TREMENDOUS
RESOURCES AND WE HAVE HEARD
GREAT SUGGESTIONS HERE TODAY.
THIS CAN BE DONE. BUT THE FIRST
STEP TO FIXING IT IS TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS BROKEN.
AND SO FAR I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT
FROM THE EXECUTIVE. AND I WOULD
REALLY LIKE TO APPRECIATE
HEARING THAT RATHER THAN BEING
TOLD IT IS ALL FINE, EVERYONE
WHO COMES HERE EVERY TIME WE
TALK ABOUT TREES ARE JUST A
BUNCH OF NIMBYS. THE POINT MADE
ABOUT THE GIANT SEQUOIA IS THAT
IT WAS NOT TAKEN DOWN TO BUILD
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IN FACT,
MOST OF THE TREES THAT HAVE BEEN
CONTESTED AND OTHER TREE
ACTIVISTS WERE NOT TAKEN DOWN TO
BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THEY
WERE TAKEN DOWN TO BUILD
DRIVEWAYS FOR SINGLE-FAMILY
HOUSES.
SO THIS NARRATIVE THAT YOU KNOW,
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE -- THAT WE
KEEP THESE TREES AND SUDDENLY WE
WILL HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS
INCORRECT AND I CHALLENGE THE
DEPARTMENT TO SHOW ME HOW MANY
OF THESE PERMITS WERE FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I SUBMIT TO
YOU THAT NONE OF THEM WERE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO AGAIN, WE
HAVE TO PIERCE THESE FALSE
NARRATIVES THAT ARE PREVENTING
US FROM ACTUALLY MOVING FORWARD.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS
WRONG WITH THE COORDINATES IS
THAT IT DOES NOT ALLOW SDCI TO
MANDATE SITE ALTERATION WHEN IT
IS POSSIBLE TO DESIGN AROUND THE
TREE, A GIANT SEQUOIA WHICH IS
ONE EXAMPLE. THERE ARE A HANDFUL
OF OTHER EXAMPLES, I CANNOT LIST
THEM ALL RIGHT NOW, WHERE IT WAS
POSSIBLE TO DESIGN AROUND THE
TREE AND STILL GET WHAT YOU
WANTED AND KEEP THE TREE. IT WAS
GOING TO COST A LITTLE BIT MORE
MONEY, ABSOLUTELY. BUT SDCI
NEEDS TO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
MANDATE THAT. THAT IS A SIMPLE
WAY TO PRESERVE A TREE. AND IT
IS A WIN WIN. YOU STILL GET TO
HAVE YOUR 5000 OR 6000 FOOT
SQUARE YOU KNOW, SINGLE-FAMILY
HOME IN YOUR DRIVEWAY AND THE
TREE. SO THAT IS AN IMPORTANT
FIX THAT WE NEED TO BRING TO
THIS.
WE ALSO NEED TO BE CLEAR THAT
WHEN WE SAY I THINK THE
REPRESENTATION WAS MADE HERE
THAT WE HAVE PLANTED MORE TREES
THAN WE HAVE REMOVED, WELL,
YEAH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT IS
A 3-1 RATIO BUT THAT DOES NOT
ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF
COMPARABILITY AND WHAT WE ARE
REPLACING WITH WHAT WE ARE TAKE
INTO IS NOT COMPARABLE.
REPLACING A GIANT SEQUOIA THAT
WILL LIVE FOR 200 YEARS AND
PROVIDE -- I MEAN, YOU MAY HAVE
THE SAME CANOPY RANGE AND YOU DO
NOT HAVE THE SAME VOLUME OR THE
SAME HEIGHT OR THE SAME KIND OF
PROTECTION. REPLACING THAT WITH
TWO SHORT PINES THAT WILL LIVE
FOR 50 YEARS IS NOT COMPARABLE.
IT IS DISINGENUOUS TO SAY THAT
THE STATUTE ALREADY REQUIRES US
TO REPLACE WITH COMPARABLE
TREES. THAT IS NOT TRUE. AND SO
WE HAVE TO FIX THE COMPARABILITY
PIECE AND TRULY REPLACE WITH
COMPARABLE TREES. WE ALSO NEED
TO INCENTIVIZE TRANSPLANTING
TREES . WE LOOKED AT MOVING THE
GIANT SEQUOIA. UNFORTUNATELY,
THAT DIALOGUE BEGAN WAY TOO
LATE. IT IS A BIG TREE. IT IS
POSSIBLE. THEY DID IT IN BOISE.
THEY MOVED A MUCH BIGGER TREE IN
BOISE. IT IS A HERITAGE TREE AND
IT IS NOW A COMMUNITY AMENITY.
IT IS PART OF THE FABRIC OF THAT
COMMUNITY. WE NEED TO BE DOING
MORE. WE NEED TO INCENTIVIZE
MOVING AND TRANSPLANTING TREES
AND TO CREATE A FUND TO DO THAT.
WE ALSO, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WE
HAVE REMOVALS WITH CONSTRUCTION
EQUALS WITHOUT, THAT IS A
DISINGENUOUS COMPARISON BECAUSE
THE NONCONSTRUCTION REMOVAL IS
DUE TO HAZARDS AND DISEASES
VERSUS A CONSTRUCTION REMOVAL
WHICH IS ALLOWED BECAUSE IT
INTERFERES WITH THE
CONSTRUCTION. THE OTHER THING
THAT WE HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT IS
TREE PROTECTION AREA. THAT IS
NOW THE STANDARD, THAT HAS
CHANGED FROM WHAT WE HAD BEFORE
WHICH I BELIEVE WAS A DRIP LINE.
YOU CAN NOW REMOVE A TREE IF IT
GETS ANYWHERE OR HAS ANY KIND OF
AN EFFECT ON THE TREE PROTECTION
AREA. AND THAT IS PART OF WHY WE
ARE LOSING SO MANY TREES BECAUSE
THE TREE PROTECTION AREA, WHILE
WELL-INTENTIONED OR NOT SUCH A
DIAMETER, ANY KIND OF
DEVELOPMENT WILL INTERFERE WITH
THAT. SO YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE
WAY THAT WE DO FIND THAT AND
PERHAPS GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL
DEFINITION OF THE DRIP LINE OR
LOOK AT SOME OTHER DEFINITION
THAT IS NOT GOING TO JUST OPEN
UP THE DOORS.
AND ALSO VEHICLE AND PEDESTRIAN
ACCESS. I READ IT AS A DRIVEWAY.
AGAIN THAT GOES BACK TO
MANDATING REDESIGN. AND IN THAT
SITUATION WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK
AT THE WAY WE ARE CLASSIFYING
THE DATA THAT IS COLLECTED. WE
TALK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TREES
THAT ARE PROTECTED AND I WOULD
DIRECT MY COLLEAGUES AND
EVERYBODY ELSE TO GO LOOK AT THE
ARTICLE BASED ON DATA THAT WAS
COLLECTED BY MANY OF THE TREE
ACTIVISTS TO SHOW THAT TREES ARE
BEING LISTED AS PROTECTED WHILE
THEY WERE UNDER ABSOLUTELY NO
THREAT OF BEING REMOVED.
TREES, PROJECTS 100 TREES AND
ZERO GROUND DISTURBANCE I.E.
KITCHEN REMODELS. THOSE WERE
LISTED AS PROTECTED. TO INFLATE
THE NUMBER THAT SDCI IS
PRESENTING . TREES THAT HAVE
BEEN REMOVED OR PROVED TO BE
REMOVED ARE LISTED AS PROTECTED.
LET'S SEE. ANY TREE REMAINING
ON THE SITE WITH MAJOR GROUND
DISTURBANCE WAS ALSO LISTED. SO
I MEAN, THE WAY THAT SDCI IS
COLLECTING HAS TO BE INDICTED .
SO THAT HAS TO BE ACCURATE.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
GENERAL PUBLIC HAS THE ABILITY
TO GET INVOLVED EARLY ON. SO
OFTEN THE PERMIT HAS ALREADY
BEEN ISSUED BEFORE PEOPLE BECOME
AWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. SO
ONCE THE PERMIT IS ISSUED, THERE
IS NO WAY FOR ANY CHANGES TO BE
MADE UNLESS THE DEVELOPER AND
THE HOMEOWNER ARE WILLING TO DO
THAT AND TO DATE THAT HAS NOT
BEEN THE CASE.
AND THEN THIS THING ABOUT WELL,
WE ARE PROTECTING MORE TREES ON
PRIVATE PROPERTY. WE HAVE MADE
IT A LOT HARDER FOR PROPERTY
OWNERS TO REMOVE TREES AND
PERHAPS WE
HAVE MADE MORE LOOPHOLES FOR
PEOPLE ON THEIR OWNED PROPERTY
THEN WE HAVE FOR DEVELOPERS AND
I DON'T THINK THAT IS A FAIR
BALANCE. AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT
THAT AS WELL. IT SHOULD NOT BE
MORE ONEROUS FOR A HOMEOWNER
THAN A DEVELOPER WHO IS GOING TO
MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT
AND NOT BUILDING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FOR WHICH WE WILL ALL OF
IT. AND THESE WOULD BE MY MAIN
POINTS, THAT THERE ARE -- YOU
KNOW, AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT
LOOKING AT FA ARE INCREASES AND
THERE ARE WAYS TO DO THAT. AND I
DON'T THINK IT GOES FAR ENOUGH
AND THERE WILL HAVE TO BE A
TRADE-OFF BETWEEN HEIGHT AND
TREES. THEY TALKED ABOUT THE
NEED FOR STOCK FLATS AND THAT IS
SOMETHING WE COULD BE LOOKING AT
AS WELL. WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE
PIECES THAT ARE NOT WORKING
BECAUSE IT DOES NOT DISTURB US
AS ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES IN
THIS WILLFUL IGNORANCE OR THE
SELLING OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT
TRUE. LET'S GET IT RIGHT,
BECAUSE WE CAN GET IT RIGHT. WE
DON'T NEED TO BE ENEMIES HERE.
LET'S JUST FIGURE OUT A
CREATIVE WAY TO DO THIS. BECAUSE
WE CAN TRULY HAVE HOUSING,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ALL
HOUSING AND TREES WHICH BENEFIT
EVERYBODY. AND WE NEED TO BRING
MORE TREES TO THE SOUTH AND AND
MAYBE OUR TRANSPLANT PROGRAM
WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE WE HAVE
PHENOMENAL HEAT ISLANDS DOWN
THERE. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. I
APPRECIATE THE TIME.
>> JUST JAZZ HANDS, PLEASE. I
DON'T WANT TO -- BUT THANK YOU.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE A
RESPONSE, OR YOU JUST WANT --
OKAY. SO WE CAN MANAGE TIME
PROPERLY, IF WE COULD JUST JUMP
TO -- I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT
PIECE HAS BEEN SLIDE 27 AND 28,
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE KEY
POLICY GOALS THAT ARE IN THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND PROPOSED
CHANGES IN THE ZONING. I THINK
THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU.
>> PREVIEWING A LOT OF THE
CONVERSATION TOPICS WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT WHEN COUNCIL TAKES
UP THE COMP PLAN AND THE
PERMANENT LEGISLATION TO COMPLY
WITH HB 1110. OBVIOUSLY, THE
INTERIM LEGISLATION IS MORE
LIMITED IN SCOPE. IT IS FOCUSED
ON THE THINGS IN THE MODEL
ORDINANCE OR OTHERWISE REQUIRED
BY STATE LAW THAT WE WILL HAVE
MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO THINK
BROADLY AS PART OF THE PERMANENT
LEGISLATION. SO THE CONFERENCE
OF PLAN ITSELF MAKES A LOT OF
CHANGES TO BETTER ADDRESS THE
KIND OF APPROACH TO FOUR-STORY
FOR THE CITY AND WE HAVE A NEW
SECTION ON URBAN FORESTRY AND
TREES AND A LOT OF NEW POLICIES
THAT TAKE THE WORK WE HAVE BEEN
DOING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS. YOU
KNOW, CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND
PUTS THAT IN THE PLAN. AND THE
PLAN HAS SOME KEY POLICIES ON
TREES. ONE OF THEM IS A GOAL
THAT COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE
URBAN FORESTRY MANAGEMENT PLAN
THAT SEATTLE HAS A HEALTHY
FOREST WITH THE TREE CANOPY THAT
MAXIMIZES THE ENVIRONMENTAL
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CLIMATE
RELATED SOCIAL BENEFITS OF TREES
AND ALSO CODIFIES THE TREE
CANOPY GOAL IN THE URBAN FOREST
MANAGEMENT PLAN AND THE CURRENT
PLAN TODAY, WHICH IS THAT WE AIM
TO ACHIEVE AN OVERALL TREE
CANOPY OF 30% BY 2037. AND A NEW
POLICY ON REGULARLY UPDATING THE
TREE CANOPY ANALYSIS TO MONITOR
CHANGES AND TRENDS SO THAT WE
CAN PRACTICALLY RESPOND TO
THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING. AND A
WIDE VARIETY OF NEW POLICIES ON
THINGS LIKE TREE EQUITY,
RESILIENCE, COORDINATION,
EDUCATION, MAINTENANCE,
INCENTIVES AND PESTS, AND IT
UPDATES AND HAS NEW POLICIES FOR
A LOT OF THE ELEMENTS AS WELL,
LAND USE, TRANSPORTATION AND
PARKS. THERE'S A LOT IN THERE
THAT REALLY KIND OF TAKES THE
WORK WE HAVE BEEN DOING ACROSS
DEPARTMENTS AND KIND OF PUT THAT
TOGETHER TO HELP PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND THE OVERALL APPROACH.
ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THE CHANGES WE WILL BE PROPOSING
AS PART OF THE PERMANENT
LEGISLATION. THERE ARE A NUMBER
OF THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING TO
TRY TO INCREASE PLANTING AND
SPACE FOR LOTS FOR THE TREES AND
ONE IS THAT WILL BE PROPOSING TO
UPDATE THE TREEPLANTING
REQUIREMENTS IN NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND THAT IS
ONLY SET OF REGULATIONS WE DO
NOT JUST UPDATE IN 2023 AND WE
ARE MOVING FROM A SYSTEM FOCUSED
ON THE SIZE OF TREES AT PLANTING
TO A SYSTEM THAT FOCUSES ON THE
SIZE OF TREES AT MATURITY AND
THAT WAS THE IDEA OF HAVING
SOMETHING THAT FOCUSES ON THE
EVENTUAL CANOPY COVER RATHER
THAN WHAT HAPPENS PUT IN PLACE
AT THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION IN
TERMS OF TREE SIZE. WE ARE ALSO
PUTTING IN PLACE A NEW AMENITY
AREA REQUIREMENT IN THE
RESIDENTIAL ZONES AND OBVIOUSLY
THERE WILL BE MORE DENSITY, BUT
TO TRY TO OFFSET AND MITIGATE
THAT, THIS NEW AREA WOULD ALLOW
FOR SPACE FOR INDIVIDUALS AS
WELL AS THE RESIDENTS AS WELL AS
PLANTING OF VEGETATION. AND
THERE ARE INCENTIVES FOR STACKED
FLATS. STACKED FLAT PROVIDE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR MUCH MORE
COMPACT DEVELOPMENT, WHICH CAN
MEAN A LOT MORE OF THE LOT IS
PRESERVED FOR GREEN SPACE. AND
THEN LASTLY, ADDING SOME NEW
WAIVERS FOR PARKING, ALLOWING
THAT TO BE REDUCED OR WAIVED IN
ORDER TO PRESERVE A TIER 2 OR
TIER 3 TREE, WHICH GETS TO SOME
OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT AS WELL. VERY
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE ARE
NOT PROPOSING TO COME AS PART OF
THE CHANGE, THE TREE PROTECTION
ZONE IN CRITICAL AREAS CODE OR
THE STREET REQUIREMENTS THAT
THANKFULLY WE HAVE KIND OF A
ROBUST CONFERENCE OF SYSTEM THAT
WE RECENTLY UPDATED IN 2023. SO
THE PROPOSAL IS NOT TO CHANGE
THOSE BUT TO DO A LOT WITH THE
THINGS THAT WERE NOT UPDATED IN
2023.
>> I JUST WANT TO STRESS THAT
THESE ARE ALL THINGS INCLUDED IN
HB 1110 LEGISLATION. WE PROVIDED
YOU WITH A STRIPPED-DOWN VERSION
OF INTERIM LEGISLATION FOR HB
1110 WITH THE HOPE THAT WOULD
ONLY BE IN PLACE FOR A VERY
SHORT TIME BEFORE BEING REPLACED
WITH THE PERMANENT LEGISLATION.
SO JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT
THESE ARE THINGS THAT WILL SHOW
UP IN THE PERMANENT LEGISLATION
THAT WE WILL BE TRANSMITTING IN
THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
>> THE NEXT SLIDES ARE ON WORK
THAT WE ARE DOING .
>> LET'S PAUSE THERE. I THINK
THESE ARE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT
SLIDES. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. I KNOW YOU
HAD YOUR HAND UP. SORRY, I
DON'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE
SPOT, I APOLOGIZE.
>> QUICKLY BEFORE -- MATCH
TODAY.
WE COORDINATED THAT. THANK YOU
ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION. I
ACTUALLY WANTED TO START OFF MY
REMARKS BY TAKING JUST A MOMENT
TO CORRECT THE RECORD ON THE
POINT MADE ABOUT SPRAWL NOT
BEING ALLOWED UNDER GMA AND THE
FRAMING ABOUT SPRAWL BEING A RED
HEARING BECAUSE THAT IS SIMPLY
NOT TRUE. I SAY THIS AS SOMEONE
WHO HAS WORKED WITH SUBURBAN AND
RURAL JURISDICTIONS IN KING
COUNTY ON THE HOUSING CHAPTER OF
THE COUNTYWIDE PLANNING POLICIES
OF WHICH OUR COMP PLAN NEEDS TO
FALL UNDER. THERE IS A
CONSISTENT THEME WITH THE RURAL
JURISDICTIONS AROUND OPENING UP
LAND ALONG THE URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND AN
AREA WITHIN THE BOUNDARY THAT
HOUSES GREEN LANDS AND FORESTS
THAT ARE BEING SYSTEMATICALLY
CUT DOWN. I WANTED TO TAKE THAT
MOMENT TO CORRECT THE RECORD ON
THAT POINT GIVEN MY WORK . I
KNOW WE HAVE HAD A FAIR AMOUNT
OF DISCUSSION ON RIGHT OF WAY
TREES AND I WILL CHAMPION FOR A
MOMENT, I REPRESENT A LOT OF
SEATTLEITES WHO HAVE ONLY EVER
LOOKED TO RIGHT-OF-WAY TREES AND
PARK TREES FOR ENJOYMENT AND
REPRIEVE FROM THE HEAT. I HAVE
NEVER HAD THE LUXURY OF HAVING A
RESIDENTIAL TREE AND THAT IS
OKAY. I HAVE LIVED, IN FACT, I
HAVE THRIVED WITH TREES EVERYONE
CAN ENJOY, THEY ARE A WORTHY AND
IMPORTANT PUBLIC INVESTMENT, SO
ON THAT NOTE, HOW CAN WE WORK TO
USE TREES AND THE RIGHT OF WAYS
TO BOTH INCREASE OUR TREE CANOPY
BUT ALSO AS A TRAFFIC CALMING
MEASURE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
PROMOTING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY?
>> YEAH, SO YOU MENTIONED HOW WE
CAN USE TREES, RIGHT-OF-WAY
TREES BOTH TO HAVE SHADE AND
CANOPY AND THE TRAFFIC CALMING
MEASURE. YEAH, I MEAN, ALL THE
PROJECTS WHERE YOU SEE LIKE THE
DALLAS AVENUE PROJECT THAT I
DESCRIBED, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY
TOOK OVER THE FLEX ZONE FOR THE
SIDEWALK AND LEFT ALL THE SPACE
FOR THOSE REALLY LARGE
RIGHT-OF-WAY TREES, WHEN YOU
NARROW THE ROADWAY, YOU HAVE THE
ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF CREATING
SAFETY, RIGHT? AND CARS HAVE TO
DRIVE SLOWER THROUGH MORE NARROW
ROADWAYS AND THAT IS A GOOD
THING. ESPECIALLY IN THE
RESIDENTIAL ZONE. SO WITH A LOT
OF THESE PROJECTS YOU OFTEN HAVE
A DUAL BENEFIT OF HAVING MORE
TREE CANOPY, HAVING ACCESSIBLE
SIDEWALKS AND CREATING SAFER
STREETS.
>> CERTAINLY. SO THINKING ABOUT
THE ONGOING WORK TO BE ABLE TO
DO JUST THAT SERVES AS SOMETHING
WE ARE INTERESTED IN. SO I KNOW
WE HAVE SEEN SOME GREAT EXAMPLES
WITH PARIS TAKING STEPS TO
REPLACE ON STREET PARKING TO
GROW TREE CANOPY . HOW VIABLE IS
THAT PROCESS THEORETICALLY HERE
IN SEATTLE?
>> IT ONLY TAKES MONEY I THINK.
AND SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS, COUNCILMEMBER. THE
MAYOR IS VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN
SUPPORTING AND GROWING THE TREE
CANOPY AND RECOGNIZES THE
IMPORTANCE OF DOING SO. THERE
ARE A LOT OF EFFORTS WE ARE
DOING, ESPECIALLY ON THE PLANS
THAT WE CAN CONTROL TO DO THAT
AND I THINK AS COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA POINTED OUT AND MAYBE SOME
OTHERS, IT IS NOT A SMALL SUM OF
MONEY. I MEAN, FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE IT IS WORTH EVERY
PENNY. AND IT IS A GOOD
INVESTMENT FOR SO MANY REASONS.
SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO
PRIORITIZING THIS AS MUCH AS WE
POSSIBLY CAN. OF COURSE, WE LIVE
IN AND
THAT IS SOME OF WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY. BUT VERY
MUCH COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE
THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN THE
TREE CANOPY IS MUCH AS WE
POSSIBLY CAN.
>> I WOULD AGREE, THAT IS A
CRITICAL INVESTMENT,
PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT AGAIN,
JUST THE RESILIENCE OF OUR CITY
AS WELL. AND MY FINAL QUESTION
RELATED TO THIS AREA IS THINKING
ABOUT THE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION
OF GROWING OUR CANOPY AND IN
ANOTHER LIFE I WORKED IN
HOMELESSNESS SERVICES AND AROUND
SEVERE WEATHER AND FOLKS DON'T
OFTEN KNOW THIS, BUT IN SEVERE
WEATHER EVENTS ARBORISTS DON'T
WORK ON WEEKENDS BUT THE WEATHER
DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THAT, SO I
ALONG WITH MYSELF WOULD GO OUT
ON WEEKENDS DURING HEAT EVENTS
TO DEPLOY WATER AND ICE TO AREAS
THAT ARE URBAN HEAT ISLANDS. AND
IT IS ROUGH OUT THERE. WITHOUT
THAT TREE CANOPY.
>> I THINK LAUREN WAS BEING TOO
MODEST TODAY. I DID NOT SEE THIS
LISTED IN THE SLIDES BUT THEY
RECEIVED A $12 MILLION FEDERAL
GRANT LAST YEAR TO DO MORE
PLANTING OF TREES IN AREAS IN
THE CITY THAT DON'T HAVE AS
ROBUST OF A TREE CANOPY. SO
DEFINITELY LOOKING AT
INVESTMENTS IN THAT AREA AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE AND
FINGERS CROSSED THAT THE FEDERAL
GRANT IS STILL COMING THROUGH.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THERE ARE AREAS OF THE
CITY THAT NEED TO HAVE A RATER
TREE CANOPY FOR THE SAKE OF
RESILIENCE, CLIMATE RESILIENCE,
KEEPING THOSE TEMPERATURES DOWN.
IT CAN BE DANGEROUS OUT THERE
WHEN WE ARE THINKING ABOUT
PEOPLE THAT ARE QUITE LITERALLY
ON HOUSED AND SUBJECT TO THE
ELEMENTS. AND I WILL CLOSE MY
COMMENTS BY SAYING THOSE FOLKS
NEED A HOME, SO AGAIN, AN
AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW FOR
MORE HOUSING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK. COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> NOTICING THAT WE ARE ON THE
BORDERLINE OF QUORUM AND WE HAVE
GONE ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME, I
WANT TO THANK THE PANEL FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION TODAY. THIS IS ONE
OF THE DEEPEST DIVES I HAVE SEEN
INTO TREE POLICY AND COLLEAGUES,
WELCOME TO WHAT I HAVE LEARNED
AND KNOWN OVER MANY YEARS. AS
WELL AS THANK YOU FOR PRODUCING
-- I DON'T SEE SDCI UP THERE,
BUT OKAY, APOLOGIES, THERE YOU
ARE. AND FOR SHARING THAT SLIDE
REPORT TODAY. CHAIR, NOT GOING
TO USE THIS TIME TO BULLY PULPIT
MY QUESTIONS. I WILL JUST NOTE
FOR THE RECORD THAT BOTH GROWING
THE TREE CANOPY AND BUILDING THE
HOUSING STOCK THAT WE NEED FOR
OUR CITY TO THRIVE IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT TO ME. AND THOSE TWO
THINGS DO NOT HAVE TO BE IN
CONFLICT. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. I KNOW THAT -- SO WHAT
I HAVE HEARD TODAY, THANK YOU
FOR THOSE COMMENTS, AND MY
COLLEAGUES FOR ALL YOUR
QUESTIONS AND SO FORTH. I KNOW
THAT WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM
PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY IS WHAT
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS HAS SAID,
THAT THEY CAN BE CONNECT DID AS
WELL. AND THEN ALSO I WANTED
TWO. OUT THAT I APPRECIATE US
PLANTING NEW TREES, HOWEVER, IT
IS ONLY GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT,
IT WILL TAKE UP TO 40 YEARS FOR
THOSE TREES TO HAVE IMPACTS AND
WHAT WE HAVE WITH OUR BIG TREES,
AND THE POINT THAT COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE MADE ABOUT DRIVEWAYS AND I
SEE HERE THAT IN THE PROPOSED
CHANGES YOU KNOW, PARKING
WAIVERS, ALLOWING PRESERVATION
TIER 2 OR TIER 3 TREES, WOULD
LOVE TO SEE SOME DATA BEHIND
HEY, IF WE DO THESE PARKING
WAIVERS, THIS AMOUNT OF TREES
HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BEING SAVED
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHAT IS
HAPPENING IS, WHEN DEVELOPERS
ARE BUILDING HOMES AND
SINGLE-FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS AND
THEY ARE TEARING DOWN TREES,
THEY ARE NOT -- EVEN IF THEY HAD
A PARKING WAIVER, THEY WOULD
STILL BUILD A DRIVEWAY, BECAUSE
THAT IS WHAT IT DEMANDS SOMEONE
PAYING FOR A $1 MILLION OR $2
MILLION HOME, THEY WANT A
DRIVEWAY. SO THAT ALL THESE
DRIVEWAYS AND THEY TEAR DOWN
THESE TREES. SO THERE ARE A LOT
OF THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT THE
COUNCILMEMBERS YOU KNOW,
EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES, BUT I THINK THAT
WHAT WE CAN ALL AGREE ON IS THAT
WE NEED TO GET BETTER ON OUR
TREE PRESERVATION AND OUR CITY.
AND WE NEED TO BE PARTICULARLY
LIKE SAY THESE ARE NOT WORKING
AND THESE ARE THINGS WE WANT TO
GET BETTER AT AND IT IS OKAY TO
SAY THAT THESE THINGS ARE NOT
WORKING RIGHT NOW . YOU KNOW,
LIKE I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME.
WHAT I'M DOING IS NOT WORKING
THROUGH EMAILS AND PEOPLE
TELLING ME WHAT YOU'RE NOT
DOING IS WORKING, AND YOU SHIFT
AND YOU CHANGE. THAT IS THE
ATHLETE AND US. YOU SHIFT AND
CHANGE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
AND NEW. I WANTED TO POINT THAT
OUT. AND I THINK THAT WE NEED
MORE OWNERSHIP IN OUR PARKS AND
OUR TREES AND OUR COMMUNITY. MY
DAD WORKED FOR THE PARKS
DEPARTMENT 35 YEARS AND THIS
GOES BACK TO HOUSING. THE POINT
I WANTED TO MAKE IS THAT HE
MANICURED AND TOOK CARE OF SO
MANY PARKS IN OUR CITY BECAUSE
HIS KIDS PLAYED AT THESE PARKS.
AND THE REASON WHY WAS BECAUSE
HE COULD AFFORD A HOUSE IN THE
CITY BECAUSE HE WORKED IN THE
CITY. AND SO THE OWNERSHIP PIECE
OF I LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY,
WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY, THIS IS
MY PARK TOO, I'M GOING TO MAKE
SURE I TAKE CARE OF THIS, THAT
IS THE OWNERSHIP PIECE THAT WE
HAVE, THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE
IN OUR CITY AND THAT GOES BACK
TO THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN
SEATTLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
AFFORD TO LIVE IN SEATTLE,
BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE MORE
OWNERSHIP IN YOUR PARKS AND
COMMUNITY AND YOUR SIDEWALKS AND
YOUR STREETS AND COMPLAINED
ABOUT TRASH AND COMPLAINING
ABOUT GRAFFITI AND COMPLAINING
ABOUT PARKS, ALL THESE THINGS,
THE THING THAT IT HAS IN COMMON
IS AN OWNERSHIP PIECE ON
OURSELVES, NOT JUST RELYING ON
THE CITY , WHICH ARE A GROUP OF
PEOPLE TO ALWAYS CLEAN UP AND
TAKE AFTER PEOPLE. THAT IS OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO SOME EXTENT.
WE NEED TO HAVE OWNERSHIP. AND I
JUST WANTED TO HAMMER THAT HOME,
BUT PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE HAVE TO
BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE TO AFFORD
HERE SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE
OWNERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO,
I WILL SAY THAT I SEE
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, I KNOW
THAT WE ARE KIND OF AT THE TIME,
BUT YOU RECOGNIZE THAT, SO
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO
-- ON A POSITIVE NOTE IS A LOOK
AT THE NUMBERS HERE, WE CAN DO
DENSITY AND WE CAN SAVE TREES
AND PEOPLE IN DISTRICT 7 KNOW OF
AN EXAMPLE BUT MANY PEOPLE
AROUND THE CITY DO NOT, SO I
WANTED TO SAY HEY, YOU KNOW, AT
ONE POINT THE SEATTLE
CHILDREN'S HOME WAS LOCATED --
AND I MENTIONED THIS TO
DIFFERENT FOLKS ON THE WEST SIDE
OF QUEEN AND, PRETTY MUCH TAKING
UP AN ENTIRE BLOCK AND HAD
DIFFERENT STRUCTURES ON IT, WITH
A LOT OF TREES, A LOT OF TREES.
AND IT WAS SOLD AND IT WAS
DEVELOPED. AND THE COMMUNITY GOT
INVOLVED WITH THE DEVELOPER,
NATIONAL DEVELOPER WITH LOCAL
SUPPORT. AND THEY AGAIN BUILT 59
TOWNHOMES AND THEN THEY HAD TWO
HOUSING UNITS AND A COTTAGE
BUILDING WHICH IS THE ONLY
BUILDING REMAINING FROM THE
ORIGINAL SALE OF THE CHILDREN'S
HOME. AND I BRING THIS UP
BECAUSE THE MASS OF ELMS ON
NINTH AVENUE WEST ARE STILL
THERE. THE FOR TREES ON THE
CORNER OF NINTH AND McGRAW ARE
STILL THERE. THERE IS A CEDAR ON
10th AVENUE WEST THAT THEY BUILT
AROUND. ALL THE TOWNHOMES ON
10th W. WERE LIKE THIS AND THEN
THEY HAD A CEDAR AND
PERPENDICULAR ORIENTATED. 59
TOWNHOMES, A COUPLE OF COTTAGE
HOUSING UNITS, 61 NOT
AFFORDABLE, BUT I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO KNOW
THAT THIS CAN BE DONE. NOW MY
CONCERN IS, THIS WAS ESSENTIALLY
A DECADE AGO. COULD IT BE DONE
TODAY? THAT IS AN INTERESTING
QUESTION BUT IT SHOWS THAT WE
CAN DO IT. AND I JUST INVITE THE
ENTIRE CITY, PARTICULARLY THOSE
INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC, TO
INVESTIGATE THAT. THAT AREA THAT
IS NOW CALLED McGRAW SQUARE, AND
SEE AN EXAMPLE WHERE WE HAVE
MAINTAINED THESE MATURE TREES,
BUT THEN ALSO ON A POSITIVE
NOTE, CHAIR, TO FINISH OFF THE
MEETING.
>> IT IS ALWAYS POSITIVE UP
HERE. THANK YOU ALL. FIRST OF
ALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO
PRESENT AND THANK YOU FOR THE
WORK THAT YOU DO. WE KNOW THAT
WE NEED TO GET BETTER AT STUFF
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU ALL TO IMPLEMENT THOSE
CHANGES AS WELL. SO THANK YOU.
TO MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY MORE
QUESTIONS FOR THE GOOD OF THE
ORDER? HEARING AND SEEING NINE,
THANK YOU. THIS IS GOING TO
CONCLUDE OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN,
SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT IS
WEDNESDAY APRIL 30th AND I
IT IS
4:37 P.M. AND THE NEXT MEETING
IS WEDNESDAY MAY SEVENTH AT